Black Patients More Likely to Develop Bed Sores, Pressure Sores and Decubitus Ulcers than White Residents

Written by Adam Peck Category: Bed Sores January 23rd, 2013 2 min read

Among nursing home residents at high risk for bed sores, decubitus ulcers and / or pressure sores, black patients are more likely than whites to develop the potentially serious condition.

Bed sores, also called pressure sores or pressure ulcers, greatly increase a patient’s cost of care and the risk of illness and death. They can almost always be prevented through proper care, such as helping a patient change position every few hours says Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer Steven Peck.

For this study, researchers analyzed 2003 to 2008 data on bed sore rates in 2.1 million white residents and 346,808 black residents of 12,473 certified nursing homes in the United States. The patients included in the study were at high risk for bed sores.

Overall rates of bed sores decreased over the years, but black patients had consistently higher rates than white patients. The rate among white residents decreased from 11.4 percent in 2003 to 9.6 percent in 2008, while the rate among black residents decreased from 16.8 percent to 14.6 percent.

The highest rate of bed sores in 2008 (15.5 percent) occurred among black residents in nursing homes with the highest concentrations of black residents. The lowest rate (8.8 percent) was among white residents in nursing homes with the lowest concentrations of black residents.

The researchers also found that residents of both races in nursing homes with the highest concentrations of black residents were at least 30 percent more likely to develop bed sores than residents in nursing homes with few or no black residents.

Nursing homes with higher concentrations of black residents tend to have lower staffing levels of registered nurses and certified nurse assistants and to be larger for-profit and urban facilities.

– from Steven Peck, Senior Attorney at Peck Law Group

Share it

Questions? Check with Peck Today

Blog Lead Form

Elder Abuse and Neglect in Assisted Living Facilities

Elopement in Nursing Homes

Assisted Living Abuse

Settlement Reached in Assisted Living Facility Death

Assisted Living Abuse and Neglect Attorneys

Written by Adam Peck

Expertise: Personal Injury

Adam J. Peck, ESQ is a principal with Peck Law Group, APC. In 2008, Mr. Adam Peck received his Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School where he graduated Cum Laude. His practice is primarily dedicated to representing Elders, Dependent Adults, along with their loved ones and family members, who have suffered horrific personal injuries.