BEDSORES – RISK FACTORS

BEDSORES – RISK FACTORS

Pressure sores/BEDSORES are more likely to develop persons who are at higher risk due to one or more risk factors.  The common ones being :

  1. Age – Older adults tend to have thinner skin than younger people do, making them more susceptible to damage from minor pressure. They’re also more likely to be underweight, with less natural cushioning over their bones.
  2. Confinement to bed or wheelchair- Persons confined to beds or wheelchairs and unable to move themselves, can develop pressure-induced injuries in as little as 1-2 hours if the pressure is not relieved even for a brief time such as after an operation or accident is enough if associated risk factors are present.
  3. Inability to change positions on their own.- Unconscious or paralyzed individuals or those recovering after a surgery like of the hip or other mobility limitation, need help to change positions. 
  4. Loss of bowel or bladder control.- Sources of moisture on the skin from urine, stool, or perspiration can irritate the skin –leading to maceration and development of BEDSORES on pressure areas – something akin to web space injuries due to long periods of immersion of the feet in water or accumulation of perspiration in between the spaces.
  5. Poor nutrition and/or dehydration.- sores are more likely to form when the skin is not properly nourished.
  6. Decreased mental awareness.- An individual with decreased mental awareness may not have the level of sensory perception or ability to act to prevent the development of pressure-induced
    injury.  The lack of mental awareness may also arise from medications.
  7. Smoking – Smokers tend to develop more severe wounds and heal more slowly, mainly because nicotine impairs circulation and reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood.

Bedsores Complications