Black residents of nursing homes are more likely to develop bedsores, or “pressure ulcers,” than whites are, according to the results of a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Differences in the characteristics of the nursing homes do not appear to explain the increased risk for bedsores.

Dr. Mona Baumgarten, of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and colleagues evaluated the rate of bedsores among 1,938 residents newly admitted to nursing homes. The subjects were 65 years of age or older, and included 301 black and 1637 white patients.

The team reviewed medical records to identify the first occurrence of a pressure ulcer. A total of 450 residents developed at least one pressure ulcer. Of those who did, 341 were white and 109 were black.

An analysis was then conducted to factor in possible confounding variables; these included eight resident characteristics (age, sex, number of activities of activities of daily living dependencies, being bedridden, pressure ulcer on admission, incontinence, dementia, and Medicaid status) and three facility characteristics (number of beds, for-profit ownership status, and urban/nonurban location).

The results showed that race was significantly associated with the development of a pressure ulcer, with blacks having a 31 percent higher risk compared with whites.

Further research should try to identify modifiable factors that may explain differences between racial groups in pressure- ulcer risk, Dr. Baumgarten’s group suggests, and “to develop solutions to prevent the suffering and cost associated with pressure ulcers.”

SOURCE: Journal of the American Geriatric Society, August 2004.