Prevalence of falls, incontinence, malnutrition, pain, pressure injury and restraints in home care: A narrative review

Abstract

Global demographic changes and the strategy of ‘ageing in place’ will increase the importance of home care in the future. To deliver safe and high-quality care, clinical data on nursing-sensitive indicators and transparency are needed. A comprehensive narrative review of the literature was conducted to describe the prevalence and incidence of nursing-sensitive indicators, namely, falls, incontinence, malnutrition, pain, pressure injury and restraints in home care. A literature search was carried out in May 2021 in PubMed and CINAHL, and 28 studies were included. Data were extracted using two extraction tables designed for this review. Prevalence and incidence rates varied widely and internationally within each indicator. The prevalence range for falls was 4.8%–48%; urinary incontinence, 33.7%–62.5%; malnutrition, 20%–57.6%; pain, 6.5%–68.5%; pressure injury, 16%–17.4% and physical restraints, 5%–24.7%. Due to various measurements and different instruments, the rates are not comparable. The use of standardised measurement and risk assessment tools to assess nursing-sensitive indicators in home care is needed to implement suitable interventions and to prevent these indicators.