Gerontological Nursing Interventions Research Center (GNIRC)

Title: Perineal Dermatitis in Nursing Home Elders with Incontinence: A Pilot Study
Principal Investigator: Donna Bliss, PhD, RN, CCRN
Co-Principal Investigator:
Study Site: University of Minnesota

Abstract
Incontinence of urine and/or feces has been identified as a key risk factor for the development of perineal dermatitis. Perineal dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin in the genital, buttock or upper leg areas that is often associated with changes in the skin barrier, redness, a rash or vesiculation, and adverse symptoms such as pain or itching. Much of the clinical research on perineal dermatitis and its risk factors has been conducted in infants. Little is known about the prevalence, severity, sequella or treatment of skin problems such as perineal dermatitis among elderly nursing home residents. The high rates of incontinence among nursing home elders suggest that dermatitis is a major health risk if not an actual problem. The proposed pilot study will determine the feasibility and procedures for conducting clinical research focused on perineal dermatitis in incontinent elders in two, non-profit nursing homes. The design used will be a descriptive, retrospective content analysis of medical records and Minimum Data Set (MDS) reports from two time points. The following data will be collected from records of 50 nursing home residents with incontinence: demographic information, health history (e.g., diagnoses, health conditions), type and frequency of incontinence, skin problems and the correlates of perineal dermatitis. Descriptive statistics such as the prevalence of perineal dermatitis and other incontinence-related skin problems will be calculated. Data from MDS records will compared to data in the medical records. Evidence of perineal dermatitis will be correlated with factors from a model of risks for perineal dermatitis.