Indicators of health and safety among institutionalized older adults

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To identify the incidence of mortality, diarrheal diseases, scabies and falls; and the prevalence of pressure ulcers - all of which are related to the safety ofinstitutionalized older adults. METHOD This was a documentary retrospective study developed in a long-term residential careinstitution for older adults in the Northeast region of Brazil. The data were gathered from records of health assessment indicators filed between January 2008 and December 2015. Analysis included absolute case frequency; the sum of monthly prevalence and incidence rates; mean values of cases; and mean annual incidence and prevalence rates. RESULTS The incidence of mortality over these nine years ranged from 9% to 13%; of acute diarrheic disease from 13% to 45%; and scabies from 21% to 63%. The prevalence of pressure ulcers ranged from 8% to 23%. Between 2012 and 2015, the incidence rate of falls without injury varied from 38% to 83%, and with injury from12% to 20%. CONCLUSION Analysis of the health indicators revealeda high incidence of scabies and falls and a high prevalence of pressure ulcers. The identification of less than optimal rates for performance indicators canhelp improve the quality of nursing care.