How common are bed sores?

Authorities estimate 10 to 20% of people in hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities suffer from bed sores.  In terms of an actual number of people who suffer from this condition, it is difficult to be precise due to fact that reporting is dependent on facilities accurately reporting medical conditions.  However, most estimates suggest that over 1,000,000 people in the United State suffer from bed sores.

A report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality confirmed the incidence of bed sores is on the rise. In 2006, there were 503,300 hospitalizations with bed sores noted as a diagnosis.  Compared with a similar study completed in 1993, the incidence of bed sore related hospitalization has increased by more than 80%.

With respect to the prevalence of bed sores in nursing homes, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report titled, “Pressure Ulcers Among Nursing Home Resident: United States, 2004” analyzed information from the National Nursing Home Survey, a sampling of more than 14,000 nursing home residents from across the country.

The results?  More than one in 10 nursing home residents had some form of bed sore within the year.  Based on the total number of nursing home residents, that translates to more than 159,000 nursing home residents living with bed sores during a one year period.