QUT Researcher Receives Award for Risk Assessment Tool for Delayed Healing of Venous Leg Ulcers



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Dr. Parker's presentation on the evaluation tool and its potential to reduce the annual cost of treating chronic wounds, estimated at $ 4 billion, was honored at the 2019 Innovate Conference of the CRC Association Collaborate 2019.

The tool is simple. It collects variables, such as the age of the patient, the wound area, the use of high-compression stockings or bandages to predict with 80% accuracy wounds requiring extra-early intervention or to be referred to a specialist. This early intervention guides the proper management of wounds, saves time and resources, and can reduce patients' pain, distress and lifestyle limitations. "

Dr. Parker, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, QUT

In her presentation, Ms. Parker presented a case study of a woman who had been suffering from a venous leg ulcer for 15 years, but further research has focused on all types of wounds, such as Diabetic foot ulcers, which are also difficult to heal.

"Until you have one, most people do not realize the financial and social cost to the patient of unhealed wounds," she said.

"The woman in my case study had a chronic injury for over 15 years, not the same, but she has never been without injury all this time.

"He had even been asked to leave a coffee because of the amount of sweat and odor from his injury.

"As a result, she no longer meets friends in the cafes and has sometimes been unable to pay for attending elderly outings because of the cost of dressings, appointments and medications."

Dr. Parker said that venous ulcers accounted for 70% of all leg ulcers.

"Veins can be damaged with age, but 25% of people with chronic wounds are under the age of 65, which has a huge impact on their ability to work and their quality of life." of standing time, as nurses and hairdressers may be prone to venous leg ulcers. "

The risk badessment tool has already been developed to become a computer and mobile application. Dr. Parker leads the validation of the tool in the United Kingdom, Vienna and New Zealand, and it has been used to guide research in Canada.

Dr. Parker's research on the validation of the tool was published in the International Journal of Injuries.

The development of the tool was discussed in this validation:

Parker, Christina N., Kathleen J., Finlayson, and Helen E. Edwards (2017). Predict the likelihood of recovery and recurrence of delayed venous leg ulcers: focus and test the reliability of risk badessment tools. Ostomy Wound Management, 63 (10), p. 16-33.

Source:

Queensland University of Technology

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