Point prevalence of complex wounds in a defined United Kingdom population

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Abstract

Complex wounds (superficial, partial or full thickness skin loss wounds healing by secondary intention) are common however there is a lack of high quality, contemporary epidemiological data. This paper presents point prevalence estimates for complex wounds overall as well as for individual types. A multi-service, cross-sectional survey was undertaken across a United Kingdom (UK) city (Leeds, population 751,485) during two weeks in spring of 2011. The mean age of people with complex wounds was approximately 70 years, Standard Deviation (SD) 19.41. The point prevalence of complex wounds was 1.47 per 1000 of the population, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.38 to 1.56. Whilst pressure ulcers and leg ulcers were the most frequent, one in five people in the sample population had a less common wound type. Surveys confined to people with specific types of wound will underestimate the overall impact of complex wounds on the population and healthcare resources.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)694-700
Number of pages7
JournalWound Repair and Regeneration
Volume22
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2014

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