Incidence and prevalence of pressure ulcers in children.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the incidence and prevalence of pressure ulcers in children.

DESIGN

National survey mailed to 234 members of 4 pediatric-specific health care databases.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 55 questionnaires were returned (25% return rate). Fifty-one of the questionnaires were suitable for obtaining prevalence data and 40 were suitable for obtaining incidence data.

RESULTS

The pressure ulcer incidence rate was 0.29% and the prevalence rate for 1998 was 0.47%. Many of the contributing factors cited by participants mirrored those seen in adult patients with pressure ulcers.

CONCLUSION

Under the National Institutes of Health guidelines, children can be excluded from pressure ulcer studies that include subjects above age 21 because of the rarity of pressure ulcer development in the pediatric population. However, separate pediatric pressure ulcer studies should be conducted to determine best-practice models for children with pressure ulcers.