review · BMC Dermatology
Pressure ulcers represent one of the leading causes of harm to patients internationally, yet their overall national burden in Ethiopia had remained unquantified. A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated seven studies comprising 1,881 adult hospital patients across the country to establish this benchmark. The findings reveal a national pooled pressure ulcer prevalence of 11.7 percent. In a subgroup analysis restricted to studies with sample sizes of 250 participants or larger, the estimated prevalence rose to 15.89 percent. Overall, the occurrence of pressure ulcers among hospitalised patients in Ethiopia is relatively high. Addressing this issue requires focused attention from healthcare providers and policymakers to reduce patient harm. Additionally, further research is needed to determine the specific individual characteristics and healthcare service factors that drive the development of these ulcers in hospital settings.
Pressure ulcers are among the top causes of preventable patient harm worldwide. Establishing an accurate baseline prevalence for hospitalised adults in Ethiopia helps hospital administrators and policymakers recognise the scale of the problem. This baseline evidence is essential for directing clinical care improvements, improving patient safety, and guiding future investigations into healthcare delivery factors that contribute to ulcer development.
The abstract does not indicate a commercialisation pathway or specific product. However, by establishing that pressure ulcers affect over one in ten hospitalised patients, the epidemiological data highlights a clinical need for healthcare facilities, medical device suppliers, and training organisations seeking to justify the introduction of preventative wound care solutions, specialised support surfaces, or patient monitoring tools into Ethiopian hospital systems.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
BACKGROUND: Globally, PUs are recognized as one of the five most frequent causes of harm to clients. With millions affected globally, the national pooled prevalence of pressure ulcers in Ethiopia remains unknown. Hence, this review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of pressure ulcers among hospitalized clients in Ethiopia. METHODS: test. A funnel plot and Egger's regression test was used to assess the presence of publication bias. The random-effect model was fitted to estimate summary effects and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) across studies. The analyses were performed using STATA™ Version 14 software. RESULTS: The pooled prevalence of pressure ulcer in Ethiopia was assessed using seven studies involving a total of 1881 participants. The pooled prevalence of pressure ulcers in Ethiopia was 11.7% (95% CI: 7.28, 16.13). The subgroup analysis showed that the estimated magnitude of pressure ulcers was 15.89% (95% CI: 13.32, 18.46); among studies, their sample size was greater than or equal to 250. CONCLUSION: The current review reported that the pooled prevalence of pressure ulcers in Ethiopia was relatively high. Hence, policymaker and healthcare providers should give attention to reduce the magnitude of pressure ulcers. Furthermore, further a meta-analysis study could be conducted to identify individual and health care service-related factors related to the occurrence of pressure ulcers.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1186/s12895-020-00112-z
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
