Results
Title

Predictive Validity of Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment Tools for Elderly.

Authors

Park, Seong-Hi; Lee, Young-Shin; Kwon, Young-Mi

Abstract

Preventing pressure ulcers is one of the most challenging goals existing for today’s health care provider. Currently used tools which assess risk of pressure ulcer development rarely evaluate the accuracy of predictability, especially in older adults. The current study aimed at providing a systemic review and meta-analysis of 29 studies using three pressure ulcer risk assessment tools: Braden, Norton, and Waterlow Scales. Overall predictive validities of pressure ulcer risks in the pooled sensitivity and specificity indicated a similar range with a moderate accuracy level in all three scales, while heterogeneity showed more than 80% variability among studies. The studies applying the Braden Scale used five different cut-off points representing the primary cause of heterogeneity. Results indicate that commonly used screening tools for pressure ulcer risk have limitations regarding validity and accuracy for use with older adults due to heterogeneity among studies.

Subjects

BEDSORES prevention; RESEARCH methodology evaluation; BEDSORE risk factors; CHI-squared test; CINAHL database; CONFIDENCE intervals; INFORMATION storage & retrieval systems; MEDICAL databases; MEDICAL information storage & retrieval systems; MEDLINE; META-analysis; RESEARCH; RISK assessment; PREDICTIVE validity; RECEIVER operating characteristic curves; DESCRIPTIVE statistics; ODDS ratio; EVALUATION; OLD age

Publication

Western Journal of Nursing Research, 2016, Vol 38, Issue 4, p459

ISSN

0193-9459

Publication type

Academic Journal

DOI

10.1177/0193945915602259