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Potentially
deadly pressure ulcers increasingly common in institutionalized care
Superman Christopher
Reeve died of complications associated with a bed sore, and studies
indicate he is not alone. Pressure ulcers (commonly known as bed sores)
are increasingly common in long-term care, acute care hospitals, and
community care facilities, according to the Canadian Association of
Wound Care (CAWC).
In many cases the condition can be prevented.
Treating pressure ulcers can cost a community care or long-term care
facility as much as $27,500 for three months of care. The CAWC is dedicated
to reducing this amount through education, prevention, and proper medical
care.
Some major findings
in a Canadian study commissioned by the CAWC indicate:
• In nursing homes and long-term care facilities, 28 to 31 percent
of individuals have pressure ulcers compared with 24 to 26 percent of
patients in acute-care hospitals.
• There are an estimated 90,000 Canadians with spinal cord injuries
resulting in paraplegia or quadriplegia. An estimated 32 to 57 percent
of these individuals will develop a pressure ulcer at some point in
their life.
• Chronic wounds are also a common secondary complication of other
medical conditions such as diabetes. Approximately two million Canadians
have diabetes, and 7.2 percent, or 144,000, of these people will develop
diabetic foot ulcers in the next year.
The CAWC is a nonprofit
organization of healthcare professionals, industry participants, patients
and caregivers dedicated to the advancement of wound care.
You can visit its
website at www.cawc.net |
