Prevalence and Associated Factors of Dry Skin Among the Older Inpatients: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study in China

Background/Objective: Dry skin (xerosis cutis) is a most skin problem that puzzles older persons. To determine the prevalence, skin care, associated factors and impact on life of dry skin in the older inpatients.Design: A multicentre cross-sectional study was designed and conducted in 52 Chinese medical institutions on March 31 and May 29, 2021.Settings/participants: Skin examination and associated data were available for 33769 participants aged over 60 years in 52 medical institutions from 20 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government.Methods: A whole-body skin examination and overall dry skin score (ODS) was performed by 1067 qualified nurses, the associations between dry skin and gender, health conditions, and skin care status were analysed.Results: About 34.4% participants had dry skin and 21.2% cases with dry skin had pruritus, mainly located on extremities. There was a positive correlation between ODS and pruritus(r=0.301, P＜0.001). Nearly 87.3% cases with pruritus complained that sleep and daily life was affected by skin pruritus. Only 20.1%-67.0% participants were able to implement skin care measures according to the recommendations. The known risk factors included increasing age, diabetes, medications, statins and diuretics and less known risk factors included decreased self–care ability, lower Braden scores, length of stay(LOS) over 30days,numbers of chronic diseases and medications, parkinsonism, renal and pulmonary impairment, varicose veins, coronary disease were associated with more dry skin.Conclusions: The prevalence of dry skin in the older inpatients in Chinese medical institutions was higher, associated with multiple factors. Skin cares were inadequate. Prevention should pay attention to these characteristics.Registration: It has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100042893).Tweetable abstract : Dry skin among the older inpatients is common but skin care is far from adequate @workforcesoton @ijn2022Keywords: Older inpatients; dry skin; prevention; cross-sectional survey; risk factors