This study was done to find out the effective nursing intervention by comparatively evaluating the factors that affect skin condition in chronically ill patients who were diagnosed diabetes, chronic renal failure, altered mobility and in normal persons.
Data were collected from December 7th, 1998 to January 9th, 1999. The subjects of this study were 35 patients with altered mobility, 34 patients with Diabetes, 32 patients with chronic renal failure, and 38 normal persons. The subjects were chosen from the ICU, diabetes unit, renal unit, and hemodialysis room of ´S´ University Hospital.
Method: The two observers inspected the skin condition of dryness with skin condition data form (SCDF) and measured transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin pH, and content of sebum at the forearm of subjects. Itching scale was recorded by researchers about the questionare to the subjects.
Data were analyzed using SPSS/ PC´; percentage to analyze the general characteristics; Pearson correlation to find out the relation of each symptoms; ANOVA to compare the significant differences among groups.
Results can be summerized as;
1. The skin-dryness scores showed over 15points in each chronic disease groups (altered mobility, 17.1857, diabetes, 15.5882, chronic renal failure 19.6250).
2. Chronic renal failure patients showed significant higher degrees than the other groups in itching score(5.0938, p < .000), and dryness of skin (19.625).
3. Diabetes patients represented the lowest scores in the skin pH (4.74). We recommand follows based on the above results;
First, the study be extended to the other chronic disease patients like those who have jaundice or thyroid dysfunction, that is, affecting the skin condition.
Second, using the varied methods to check the skin condition, we need to perform the repeated studies that enhance the reliability of test results
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