Abstract
The present, prospective, longitudinal study aimed to examine the characteristics of skin tears, their development, and treatment outcomes by following 96 elderly patients with skin tears at 25 hospitals in Hokkaido with wound, ostomy, and continence nurses. The period from skin tear occurrence to healing or discharge was examined in each patient, and the rate of skin tear occurrence, patients' experience of the skin tears（e.g., pain, Quality of Life score［QOL］, etc.）, treatment outcomes（treatment period and cost）, and treatment method were analyzed.
Of the 96 patients, most（average age: 81.3±11.9）had skin tears on the arms（83.1%）. Skin Tear Classification System（STAR）category 2b was most common at 49.0% of the cases. Pain caused by the tears was rated using the Numeric Rating Scale, which yielded a score of 1.9±2.1 indicating lower sensitivity in elderly than in younger patients. The average utility value based on Euro-QOL-5D-5L at the time of tear occurrence was .42±.23, which was similar to that of other wounds. The average healing period was 12.0±6.2 days, and the average medical cost for treatment was ￥3,052±3,240, demonstrating that the cost increased with increasing wound area（p< .05）. The wound area reduction rate per day was calculated after correcting for baseline differences. STAR category 1b was significantly more common than 2b（p< .05）; 1b tears had better engraftment because they involved using a flap which more effectively covered the wound when returned to its normal position.
