Health Inequity in Pressure Injury Prevention - Disparity in patients with Dark Skin Tone (DST)

Health inequities are health differences between population groups. Health disparities refer to the differences in outcomes or disease burden between disparate groups; health inequity is the cause of the differences.

Skin assessment is a vital element in the prevention of pressure injuries. Historically recommendations for skin assessment were dependent on visual and tactile indicators of the skin tissue. Whilst visual indicators of the skin may be observable in lighter skin tones, it is more difficult to see these signs on darker skin tones, therefore the early signs of tissue damage, caused by pressure and shearing forces, may be missed.

Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of equitable health outcome.

This webinar addresses the challenges health care professionals experience when assessing dark skin tone patients and explores solutions to move from health inequity to health equity in skin assessment to prevent pressure injuries.

Part 1: Introducing the challenges – Dr. Joyce Pittman, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, CWOCN, FAAN

Part 2: If visual assessment alone is challenging – how do we move forward? –  Dr. Neesha Oozageer Gunowa, PhD, DN, RN, SFHEA