Presence and characteristics of senile pruritus among Danish elderly living in nursing homes

Nanna Dyhre-Petersen, Parisa Gazerani

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Abstract

Aim: To explore the pattern of occurrence and characteristics of senile pruritus among elderly living in nursing homes in the Northern region of Denmark. Materials & methods: A Danish questionnaire was developed and distributed to six nursing homes from which 46 residents participated. Results: The prevalence of chronic itch was 28.9%. Evening?night and autumn?winter with an average daily itch of 30 min were reported. Itch interfered with night sleep and daily activities. Scratching was common with 61.5% accompanying scratch marks. Half of participants reported Xerosis. Cream, cold compress and cold shower were found to be the most effective remedies for itch relief. Conclusion: The present study revealed a high prevalence of chronic pruritus including cases of senile pruritus that needs further exploration for treatment or preventive strategies.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberFSO399
JournalFuture Science OA
Volume5
Issue number6
ISSN2056-5623
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

Keywords

  • chronic itch
  • elderly
  • itch
  • nursing home
  • senile pruritus

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