Úlceras Por Pressão – As categorias que comprometem a integridade física no envelhecimento: protocolo de scoping review

Pressure ulcers cause significant suffering, increase the prevalence of infections, and reduce the quality of life of patients and caregivers, thus representing a public health issue and serving as indicators of the quality of care provided. The risk factors for the onset and development of pressure ulcers include skin integrity, lack of mobility, nutritional status, and the patient’s age. This study aims to describe the incidence and prevalence of pressure ulcers in the studied service compared to national values. In a hospital unit in Northern Portugal in 2024, an incidence rate of 4.0% and a prevalence rate of 21.1% were observed, indicating that at least one in five hospitalized patients had a pressure ulcer. A rising trend in these rates has been observed since 2022, when the incidence was 3.1% and the prevalence 19.9%. To develop a continuous improvement program, the objective is to map the knowledge regarding preventive measures for pressure ulcers. This protocol aims to plan a review of evidence related to interventions and programs for pressure ulcer prevention, following the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute, with registration on the Open Science Framework platform. Any continuous improvement program or intervention should begin with the education and information of caregivers, the use and application of risk identification scales for pressure ulcers, nutritional scales, and support surfaces/materials/devices designed to relieve pressure.