Pressure sore prevalence: a national survey

• A cross‐sectional nation‐wide sample was used to determine the point prevalence and grading of pressure sores in patients in all hospitals in Iceland (22 hospitals). • The pressure sore prevalence was 8.9% (n = 57 patients), 7.12% for women (n = 26) and 11.2% for men (n = 31); the mean age for both sexes with pressure sores was 78.4 years. • Grade I sores were most frequently identified and Grade IV the least. Eighty‐five per cent of pressure sores were located below the waist. • `No dressings' and occlusive dressings were the treatment of choice for pressure sores. • Results from this study are important for international comparisons.