Abstract: Pressure Ulcer Prevalence by Race and Ethnicity Among Elderly Nursing Home Admissions (45th Annual Conference (June 22-26, 2013 ))

Donna Bliss, PhD, RN, FAAN¹, Susan Harms, PhD, MPH, RPh², Judith Garrard, PhD³, Kay Savik, MS⁴, Olga V. Gurvich, MA⁴, Kristen Cunanan, MS⁵, Lynn Eberly, PhD⁶, Christine A. Mueller, PhD, RN, FAAN⁷, Jean F. Wyman, PhD, APRN, GNP-BC, FAAN⁸ and Beth Virnig, PhD³, (1)Univeristy of Minnesota School of Nursing, Professor, Minneapolis, MN, (2)University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, Adjunct Associate Professor, Minneapolis, MN, (3)University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Professor, (4)University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Biostatistician, Minneapolis, MN, (5)University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Biostatistics Research Assistant, Minneapolis, MN, (6)University of Minnesota Dept. of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Associate Professor, (7)University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Professor, Minneapolis, MN, (8)University of Minnesota, Professor and Cora Meidl Siehl Endowed Chair in Nursing Research, Minneapolis, MN

Background: Immediately following nursing home (NH) admission, it is critical to recognize and manage health problems for residents such as pressure ulcers (PUs) While the percentage of minority individuals entering NHs is increasing, prior analyses of PU prevalence by race/ethnicity of NH residents have generally focused on only Whites and Blacks and have ignored NH racial/ethnic composition.

Purpose: To describe PU prevalence among older NH admissions by race/ethnicity at the individual, NH, and national levels including all race/ethnic categories.

Methods: Prevalence was determined using a cross-sectional sample. Demographics and PU status were obtained from residents’ federally required admission assessment, the Minimum Data Set instrument (2000-2002) for 111,640 persons aged 65+ years (65% female) admitted to 457 NHs of a proprietary chain located in 31 states. NHs were categorized at two levels: by the percentage of Whites among their admissions and nationally by the percentage of Whites among NH admissions within their Census divisions.

Results: Overall, 14% of residents admitted to these NHs had a Stage 2, 3 or 4 PU. Prevalence by individual race/ethnicity for Stage 2 PUs was Blacks=13%, Asians/Pacific Islanders=12%, Hispanics=11%, American Indian/Alaskan Natives and Whites= 9%. Prevalence of Stages 3/4 PUs was: Blacks=10%, Hispanics=8%, American Indian/Alaskan Natives=7%, Asian/Pacific Islanders=6%, Whites=4%. Stage 2 PU prevalence in NHs with < 65% White admissions=11%, 65-84% Whites=10%, 85-94% Whites =10%, ≥95% Whites=8%; corresponding prevalence for Stage 3/4 PUs in these NH categories were: 8%, 6%, 5%, 3%. PU prevalence did not differ across NHs categorized by percent of White NH admissions in census divisions.

Conclusion: PU prevalence was higher among Black, Asian, and Hispanic NH admissions than Whites and in NHs with the lowest percentage of White admissions. NHs caring for older minority individuals can expect to manage greater percentages of PUs and may benefit from having a WOC nurse.

1734 Pressure Ulcer Prevalence by Race and Ethnicity Among Elderly Nursing Home Admissions