ABSTRACT
Pressure Ulcers [Pus] remain a significant and complex health problem in health care settings. It is related to human suffering, pain, disfigurement, and financial burden. Only few studies about PUs incidence and prevalence have focused on paediatric patients whereas PUs prevention and management are generally extrapolated from the adult population. Determining PUs prevalence among children in Jordan and exploring the allocation of prevention measures to at risk populations. A point prevalence survey was conducted on 784 inpatient children in university, private and governmental hospitals in Jordan. A modified European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel [EPUAP] PUs prevalence survey form was used. PUs were classified according to the 2009 EPUAP and the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel [NPUAP] grading system. Risk of PUs development was assessed using the 2009 Glamorgan scale for risk assessment in paediatrics. The overall Pus prevalence was 8.2% [n=58] and decreased to 1.8% when Grade Iwas excluded. The sacrum was the most often affected site [75.8%, n=44 of 58].For the various at risk sub groups, paediatric critical care and surgical units showed the highest PUs prevalence of 43.1% and 36.2%, respectively. Of the 400 children evaluated to be at risk of PUs development, only 10% received prevention in terms of equipment and/ or repositioning. The PUs prevalence among children in Jordan is comparable to that reported for other countries utilizing the same methodology. Despite relatively low PUs prevalence, few patients at risk received adequate prevention. Since PUs risk assessment scales are not frequently used in Jordan, there is a need to emphasize knowledge of prevention and interventions as a key to reducing PUs prevalence
ABSTRACT
High morbidity and mortality rates in patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction [AMI] worldwide are usually related to delays in Seeking Medical Care [SMC]. Improper patient's perceptions and decision making processes contributed to this delay. [1] To review the subjective experiences and decision making processes in patients who delayed in reporting AMI symptoms; [2] To review the gender role regarding the decision making process in regards to delays in SMC for AMI. A literature review search was conducted using CINAHL and MEDLINE. The search was limited to full text, peer reviewed, qualitative studies from 2002 to 2009. Patients with AMI symptoms tended to delay in their decisions to SMC. Decision making processes to SMC were influenced by the experienced symptoms. Patients experienced atypical symptoms were more delayers than those experienced the classical symptoms. When patients perceived their symptoms of cardiac origin they seek medical care with shorter delay times than those perceived them of non cardiac origins. The laypersons and context of the event influenced patients' interpreting and responses to these symptoms. Women predromal and atypical symptoms of AMI, and improper responses toward these symptoms contributed to being more delayers than men. It is substantial to raise public awareness to the factors that impact decision making processes in regards to SMC when experiencing AMI symptoms. Further research is needed to understand the phenomenon of delay from an Arabic cultural and ethnic value