Background: Although a plethora of studies have been reported in literature exploring decubitus ulcers prevalence and risk factors, very few focused on cancer patients as being a special risk group.

Aim: To explore prevalence and risk factors of decubitus ulcers in cancer patients in Jordan

Method: A cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted using the European decubitus Ulcers Advisory Panel Methodology in five hospitals in Jordan.All cancer patients matching the study selection criteria were recruited conveniently.Patientsʼ skin was examined and risk of decubitus ulcers was assessed .Descriptive and univariate analysis was performed on different study variables. Multivariate analysis using a special algorithm (“purposeful selection macro”) was employed to explore the independent association between a number of risk factors and decubitus ulcers.

Results: This study included a 310 cancer patients, age mean was 54.65 ± 16.65 years, 169 patients (54%) were males, The general prevalence of decubitus ulcers was 16.5% (6.9% when grade 1 was excluded.Results from multivariate analysis showed that:immobility, presence of co-morbidites, age older than 40 years and hypoalbuminemia were independently associated with the development of decubitus ulcers.

Conclusion: This study is the first of its kind that was conducted in Jordan. Results from current work support the previous evidence from literature for some risk factors to be associated with decubitus ulcers. However, the current work also found decubitus ulcers to be associated with a younger age (the age cohort above 40 years) than has previously been reported.Further guidelines are needed for prevention and treatment in such a vulnerable patient group.

Biography:
Maen aljezawi is an assistant professor of nursing at Al al-Bayt University/ faculty of nursing. She has earned my bachelorʼs degree and mater degree in nursing science from Jordan University of science and Technology and PhD in nursing science from De Montforte Unversity-UK. In Academia, she taught a number of nursing courses like community health nursing, gerontological nursing and psychiatric nursing. In the research area, she was interested in epidemiological studies and exploring health phenomena