Validating the Braden Scale for the prediction of pressure ulcer risk in blacks and Latino/Hispanic elders: a pilot study.

Abstract

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Sore Risk and determine which variables predict pressure ulcer risk in Black and Latino/Hispanic elders. A prospective clinical design was used to conduct the study. Among 36 patients, 60 years of age or older, 14 (38%) developed a pressure ulcer. A Fisher Exact test (2-tail) revealed that, at a cut-off score of 16, the Braden Scale significantly underpredicted those patients at risk for pressure ulcers (5.13 E-03). Sensitivity was 35 percent and specificity was 100 percent for a Braden Scale score of < or = 16.