Prevalence and associated factors of skin tears among hospitalized older adults in a hospital in Türkiye: A point prevalence study

AIM: This study aimed to determine the point prevalence of skin tears and to identify demographic, clinical, functional, and laboratory factors associated with the presence of skin tears among hospitalized older adults. METHODS: A point prevalence study was conducted in a tertiary-level city hospital in Türkiye. The study included 343 hospitalized patients aged 65 years and older from medical, surgical, and intensive care units. Skin tears were identified and classified using the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel (ISTAP) classification system. Data on demographic characteristics, comorbidities, cognitive status, skin assessment findings, nutritional status, pressure injury risk, and laboratory parameters were collected. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and unadjusted comparative analyses between patients with and without skin tears. Because of the limited number of participants with skin tears, the findings were interpreted as exploratory associations rather than independent predictors. RESULTS: The overall point prevalence of skin tears was 9.6% (n = 33). Most patients with skin tears were hospitalized in intensive care units (78.8%), where the prevalence reached 26%. Skin tears were most frequently located on the arms (33.3%) and hands (27.3%), and 57.6% were classified as ISTAP Type 3. Medical adhesive-related skin injury was documented in 60.6% of participants with skin tears. Advanced age (≥85 years), cognitive impairment, reduced level of consciousness, incontinence, high Braden risk classification, malnutrition, and previous history of skin tears were more frequently observed among participants with skin tears. CONCLUSION: Skin tears are a common and multifactorial clinical problem among hospitalized older adults, particularly in intensive care settings. The frequent documentation of medical adhesive-related skin injury among participants with skin tears suggests the importance of structured prevention strategies focusing on skin integrity assessment, appropriate adhesive selection, and targeted care for patients with fragile skin.