The following is a summary of “Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Pressure Injury Progression: A Retrospective Chart and Scoping Review,” published in the February 2023 issue of Critical Care by Sasson, et al.
Through a scoping examination and retrospective evaluation of patients submitting information to the biggest healthcare system in New England, it was possible to comprehend the impacts of nutrition security and social determinants of health (SDOHs) on the evolution of pressure injury (PI).
In order to find full-text, original studies presenting outcomes data relevant to PIs in patients with socially informed nutrition insecurity, the authors undertook a scoping review. In order to identify patients having PI documentation and International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision Z codes relevant to the SDOHs, researchers also conducted a retrospective examination of all patients from 2012 to 2021.
A search of 2,323 papers from 1965 to 2020 in full-text did not turn up any research that qualified. 1,044 patients were found to fit the criteria for inclusion; 13.3% of them exhibited evidence of harmful SDOHs, 50.7% of them were men and 74.3% were White. In 12.13 days on average were spent in PI (interquartile range, 6 days). According to multivariate regression analysis, PI duration was greater in men, Black patients, and patients who had harmful SDOHs than in their counterparts (P< .0001). A 13.07-day increase in illness duration was independently predicted by the presence of harmful SDOHs (95% CI, 8.99-17.15; t = 6.29, P< .0001).
As opposed to conventionally researched variables like sex, race, or body mass index, a patient’s SDOH history significantly and significantly more strongly correlated with the course of their condition. Due to the lack of information found in the literature, the findings were unique. The findings were important for plastic surgeons who want to avoid an early recurrence of PI-related wounds after surgical closure.