Made Easy: Skin Tears And Skin Tones

LeBlanc, Kimberly; Dhoonmoon, Luxmi; Samuriwo, Ray

Abstract

Research indicates that disparities, and unnecessary variations, are prevalent in the wound care of people with darker skin tones, which is often caused by a lack of insight or understanding (Oozageer Gunowa et al, 2018). These variations in the quality of wound care are the result of a lack of accurate evaluation and early detection; for example, identification of infection, such as redness, can be straightforward in individuals with lighter or fairer skin, but is more challenging in those with darker skin tones (Chansky et al, 2017).

Preventing skin tears is a priority for skin health and wound care quality improvement for individuals of all skin tones, which encompasses both prompt assessment and appropriate product selection (LeBlanc et al, 2018). Skin tears have been linked to hospitalisation, extended length of stay and increased healthcare expenses (Chang et al, 2016; LeBlanc et al, 2018; Munro et al, 2018), and these outcomes are more likely to affect people with darker skin tones due to the discrepancies in care that they receive. As a result, there is an urgent need for guidance regarding the assessment, diagnosis and management of skin tears in people with darker skin tones. This approach aims to optimise patient outcomes and ultimately alleviate the burden of skin tears on healthcare resources

Citation

LeBlanc, K., Dhoonmoon, L., & Samuriwo, R. (in press). Made Easy: Skin Tears And Skin Tones. Wounds International

• Report Type: Discussion Paper
• Acceptance Date: Nov 22, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jan 3, 2024
• Deposit Date: Mar 26, 2024
• Publisher: Wounds UK
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/3575870
• Publisher URL: https://woundsinternational.com/made-easy/skin-tears-and-skin-tone/