Fragilidad y úlceras por presión en personas mayores institucionalizadas

Cross-cutting and descriptive research to study the relationship between the situation of frailty among institutionalized older people and the presence of pressure ulcers and the risk of them; in a sample of 194 participants. The presence of pressure ulcers is collected through an ad hoc register, the risk of pressure ulcers is measured with the Norton scale and frailty is measured with the Short Physical Performance Battery tool; both instruments with good psychometric properties. The results show no significant relationship between frailty groups and the presence of pressure ulcers, although it is noteworthy that no person with pressure ulcers exists in robust and prefrail groups; thus, all people with pressure ulcers are classified as frail (21.4%) or dependents (78.6%). However, there are significant differences between the frailty groups established by the Short Physical Performance Batrery and the risk of pressure ulcers among all frailty groups (,060 greater than p greater than ,001) except in the prefrail-robust relationship. In addition, a positive correlation appears between the risk of pressure ulcers and the situation of frailty, so that at higher risk of pressure ulcers, there is a greater situation of frailty and/or dependence. Results achieved allow the detection of the population most at risk of pressure ulcers, which would make it possible to implement early interventions aimed at preventing them based on the differences found between the groups.