Assessment of risk factors associated with bedsores in patients admitted to Fatemeh Zahra & Salman Farsi Hospitals in Boushehr by using the braden indices (2007-2008)

Bedsore is common scene to those who take care of bedridden patients. Bedsore is the cause of morbidity, mortality, heavy expenses, and decrease of life quality to the patients. Using some indicators to predict bedsore would be helpful in recognizing this phenomenon to prevent its development. Therefore, the current study is an assessment of bedsore by using Braden index. It is anticipated that this study could be applicable in prevention of bedsores in bedridden patients. This descriptive-analytic study was done to determine the value of Braden scale in assessment of bedsore factors in 222 patients admitted to the ICU, and surgical wards in Fatemeh Zahra and Salman Farsi hospitals in Bushehr-Iran. Data collection tools included demographic questionnaire and Braden scale. Demographic questionnaire and Braden scale were completed for all the research units. Patients were examined for bedsores at regular intervals until discharge from hospital. Presence of bedsores and the time of bedsore development were registered. Data was analyzed by STATA and SPSS ver. 13 softwares, ROC CURP, T test and X2. Out of 222 subjects 14% (31 patients) suffered from bedsores; 18 male (12.7%) and 13 female (16.3%). The most prevalent sites for bedsor were heel and sacrom (30%). The effect of weight, age and sex was insignificant among the patients with bedsores compared to the patients without bedsores (p=0.293, p= 0.576, p=0.867). The effect of bed on bedsore was insignificant (p=0.739). The effect of smoking on bedsore was insignificant (p=0.738). Walking (p=0.03), and movement of limbs (p=0.001) were two braden indices which showed significant relationship with bedsore development. By using STATA, score 14 of Braden scale was recognized as best point for bedsore prediction (sensitivity 52%, and specifity 61%). Although all the indices of Braden scale cannot be used to predict bedsore, but some of them can be used by nurses and those who take care of bedridden patients to predict this debilitating and mortal phenomenon.