Home › Research › Disparities
Black/White differences in pressure ulcer incidence in nursing home residents
Baumgarten M, Margolis D, van Doorn C, Gruber-Baldini AL, Hebel JR, Zimmerman S, Magaziner J.. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2004-08-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objectives To compare black and white nursing home residents with respect to the incidence of nursing home (NH)-acquired pressure ulcers (PUs) and to examine the role of resident characteristics and facility characteristics in explaining differences between the racial groups. Design Prospective cohort study conducted between 1992 and 1995. Setting Fifty-nine Maryland NHs. Participants A total of 1,938 residents (301 black, 1,637 white) aged 65 and older newly admitted to participating NHs. Measurements The outcome variable was the first occurrence of a Stage 2, 3, or 4 PU as determined based on medical record review. The predictor variable was race (black, white). Eight resident characteristics (age, sex, number of activity of daily living dependencies, bedfast, PU on admission to facility, incontinence, dementia, and whether the resident was on Medicaid) and three facility characteristics (number of beds, for-profit ownership status, and urban/nonurban location) were considered as possible confounding variables. Results The incidence of PUs was 0.38 per person-year in the NH. The rate for blacks was significantly higher than for whites (0.56 vs 0.35 per person-year) (P Conclusion Blacks have a higher incidence of NH-acquired PUs than whites; resident characteristics appear to mediate the higher risk. Future research should aim to identify modifiable factors that explain differences between racial groups in PU risk and to develop solutions to prevent the suffering and cost associated with PUs.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Baumgarten, M., Margolis, D., van Doorn, C., Gruber-Baldini, A. L., Hebel, JR., Zimmerman, S., et al. (2004). Black/White differences in pressure ulcer incidence in nursing home residents. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52358.x
Vancouver
Baumgarten M, Margolis D, van Doorn C, Gruber-Baldini AL, Hebel JR, Zimmerman S, et al. Black/White differences in pressure ulcer incidence in nursing home residents. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 2004. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52358.x. PMID: 15271116.
BibTeX
@article{baumgarten2004-15271116,
author = {Baumgarten, M. and Margolis, D. and van Doorn, C. and Gruber-Baldini, A. L. and Hebel, JR. and Zimmerman, S. and Magaziner, J.},
title = {{Black/White differences in pressure ulcer incidence in nursing home residents}},
journal = {Journal of the American Geriatrics Society},
year = {2004},
doi = {10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52358.x},
pmid = {15271116},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2004.52358.x}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Results The incidence of PUs was 0.38 per person-year in the NH.
- The rate for blacks was significantly higher than for whites (0.56 vs 0.35 per person-year) (P Conclusion Blacks have a higher incidence of NH-acquired PUs than whites; resident characteristics appear to mediate the higher risk.
- Future research should aim to identify modifiable factors that explain differences between racial groups in PU risk and to develop solutions to prevent the suffering and cost associated with PUs.
Why it matters
This cohort study found that Black nursing home residents had a higher incidence of pressure ulcers than white residents, with resident characteristics appearing to mediate the higher risk. It concerns pressure ulcers in nursing homes, not the treatment, cure, or prevention of Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Disparities →
Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants1,938
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of the American Geriatrics Society) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: journal h-index 344 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2004 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,938 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 93 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.9 citations a year over 24 year(s) since 2004 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 8.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 9 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Jay Magaziner: h-index 5 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Pennsylvania: institution h-index 1,859 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 15271116) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Related studies in Disparities
Also tagged “delirium”
858 studies in the library carry the topic tag “delirium”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 858 tagged studies.