# Risk and factors related to the development of lesions due to xerosis in hospitalized elderly people

## TL;DR

This study identifies risk factors for skin lesions caused by dry skin in hospitalized elderly people and highlights the need for preventive care.

## Contribution

The study applies a newly developed risk assessment tool (ERLAX-53) to evaluate xerosis-related lesion risks in elderly hospitalized patients.

## Key findings

- Most elderly participants had high frequencies of immobility, friction, comorbidities, and dry skin.
- Over 96% of participants with xerosis were at medium or high risk for additional skin lesions.
- Nursing interventions are recommended to prevent and treat xerosis-related lesions in this population.

## Abstract

To analyze the risk and factors related to the development of skin lesions due to xerosis in hospitalized elderly people.

This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study with 455 elderly people hospitalized in Paraíba (Brazil). The Risk Assessment Scale for the Development of Lesions Associated with Xerosis Cutis in Elderly People (ERLAX-53) developed in Brazil by Cruz in 2023 was used.

The sample consisted of 272 (59.8%) elderly people from the medical clinic and 183 (40.2%) from the ICU, most of whom were females (54.5%). There were high frequencies of the variables “immobility” (58.9%), “friction and shear” (87.7%), “presence of comorbidities” (99.3%) and “predominance of dry skin” (79.8%). The correlation was positive and moderate for “mobility”, “level of consciousness”, “tactile sensitivity”, “temperature” and “phototype”. As for the risk of lesions associated with xerosis, 337 (74.1%) were at medium risk and 101 (22.2%) at high risk.

96.3% of the elderly people with xerosis cutis who participate in the study were at medium to high risk of developing additional skin lesions, which is why nursing must implement preventive and treatment strategies to care for these people.