Nursing Challenges in Pressure Injury Management: Global Prevalence Patterns and Projected Care Demands in Aging Populations

ABSTRACT

Aim

To assess the global burden of pressure injuries from 1990 to 2021 and project trends to 2050.

Design

A cross-sectional survey.

Methods

Using the Global Burden of Disease 2021 data from 204 countries (1990–2021), we performed a multilevel analysis incorporating age-period-cohort modelling, stochastic frontier analysis and Bayesian projections to 2050. Key metrics included age-standardised incidence rates, disability-adjusted life years and socio-demographic index stratification.

Results

Global incident cases increased by 160.3%, from 1.22 million to 3.18 million. By 2050, cases are expected to reach 8.4 million, with 72.4% in low-middle socio-demographic index areas. Mortality among those aged 95 and older may triple.

Conclusion

The study emphasises the need for global collaboration to address the burden of pressure injuries through equitable prevention and improved healthcare infrastructure, especially in ageing and resource-limited regions.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

The escalating global burden of pressure injuries in geriatric populations necessitates evidence-based approaches to optimise healthcare resource allocation and advance nursing-led prevention frameworks.

Reporting Method

The STROBE checklist guided reporting.

Patient or Public Contribution

Global Burden of Disease collaborators extracted the data and analysed it.