Abstract

CORRALES PEREZ, José Manuel et al. The impact of chronic wounds in functional rehabilitation units. Gerokomos [online]. 2015, vol.26, n.3, pp.109-114. ISSN 1134-928X.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1134-928X2015000300008.

Objectives: To determine the incidence and prevalence of chronic wound and their impact in the rehabilitation of patients admitted to a functional rehabilitation unit. Methodology: We designed a quantitative analytical study using an observational longitudinal cohort, and used the accessible population of patients who were admitted within a functional rehabilitation unit of medium to long stay in Madrid during the year 2011. Results: Within 2011, 261 patients with a mean age of 77.41±12.5 years had been admitted, 69% of this sample was female. 33.7% of these admissions presented with chronic wound, indicating a cumulative incidence of 4.6% of patients per year. The average length of stay for patients with chronic wound was increased by 22 days when compared to patients without chronic wound. According to the data obtained we observed that a patient with chronic wound has fewer tendencies to achieve independence and presents an increased risk of developing pressure ulcers. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the high prevalence of chronic wound that exists within functional rehabilitation unit, and results in an increase in the patients stay, which leads to an increase in economic and healthcare costs.

Keywords : wound; pressure ulcer; prevalence; incidence; rehabilitation.

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