Vulnerability to Decubitus Ulcers and Their Association With Healthcare Utilization: Evidence From Nationwide Inpatient Sample Dataset From 2016 to 2020 in US Hospitals.

Objective: The aim of the study is to identify vulnerable populations at risk of developing decubitus ulcers and their resultant increase in healthcare utilization to promote the use of early prevention methods.

Methods: The National Inpatient Sample of the United States was used to identify hospitalized patients across the country who had a length of stay of 5 or more days (N = 9,757,245, weighted N = 48,786,216) from 2016 to 2020. We examined the characteristics of the entire inpatient sample based on the presence of decubitus ulcers, temporal trends, risk of decubitus ulcer development, and its association with healthcare utilization, measured by discounted hospital charges and length of stay. The multivariate survey logistic regression model was used to identify predictors for decubitus ulcer occurrence, and the survey linear regression model was used to measure how decubitus ulcers are associated with healthcare utilization.

Results: Among 48,786,216 nationwide inpatients, 3.9% had decubitus ulcers. The percentage of inpatients with decubitus ulcers who subsequently experienced increased healthcare utilization rose with time. The survey logistic regression results indicate that patients who were Black, older, male, or those reliant on Medicare/Medicaid had a statistically significant increased risk of decubitus ulcers. The survey linear regression results demonstrate that inpatients with decubitus ulcers were associated with increased hospital charges and longer lengths of stay.

Conclusions: Patients with government insurance, those of minority races and ethnicities, and those treated in the Northeast and West may be more vulnerable to pressure ulcers and subsequent increased healthcare utilization. Implementation of early prevention methods in these populations is necessary to minimize the risk of developing decubitus ulcers, even if upfront costs may be increased. For example, larger hospitals were found to have a lower risk of decubitus ulcer development but an increased cost of preventative care. Hence, it is imperative to explore and use universal, targeted preventative methods to improve patient safety.