Pressure ulcers represent a major burden of sickness in the UAE

Dubai, UAE, August 3, 2015: Pressure ulcers are a major problem in the UAE and present a major burden on healthcare facilities as well as reducing quality of life for patients. Although the prevalence data for pressure ulcers in the UAE remains scarce, in 2010, there was a major increase in hospital-acquired pressure ulcers with 142 patients developing pressure ulcers in one year at the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi .  Chronic conditions such as diabetes or obesity contributes to increase incidence of pressure ulcers highlighting the burden on the existing healthcare system.

Development of pressure ulcers has been associated with a 4.5-times greater risk of death. People are at risk of developing pressure sores if they have difficulty moving and are unable to easily change position while seated or in bed. Ageing, lack of sensory perception, weightless, poor nutrition, limited mobility and smoking are just a few of the other conditions that can lead to the development of pressure ulcers.

“Pressure ulcers represent a major burden of sickness and a decrease in the quality of life for patients and their care-givers. They can also have a huge impact on physical and social well-being, as well as behaviour. Patients usually suffer from a distorted body image and the pain can affect day-to-day activities. Pressure ulcer prevention and prevalence presents an important challenge in acute and long term acute care units,” says Mrs Gulnaz Tariq, Unit Manager, Wound Care, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Mrs Tariq will discuss the different aspects of management, prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers in the UAE at the Patient Safety Middle East Exhibition & Conferences on the 4-6 October 2015 in Dubai. The event will be held at the Dubai International Exhibition & Convention Centre, Dubai, UAE. The conference will assess the challenges of providing wound care best practices in the region and will evaluate analyse emerging wound care treatments and technologies into practice

“Pressure ulcer prevention requires an interdisciplinary and system-wide approach to care,” says Mrs Tariq. “To accomplish this task it will require coordination between all disciplines, as well as an organisational process and improved operational practices. Risk assessment is an important strategy for the prevention and management of pressure ulcers and wound care nurses play an important role to prevent and treat this problem in the UAE.”