Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) is a common under-recognised painful skin condition, caused by erosion of the skin from prolonged exposure to urine or stool. Patients with IAD experience pain, burning and itching in the affected areas. IAD can be difficult to diagnose and differentiate from other skin conditions leading to incorrect or delayed management. Furthermore, IAD is a strong risk factor for bed sore development.
IAD is a neglected clinical area and there are major gaps in health clinicians’ understanding of the prevention and management of the condition. These gaps impact on patients and their quality of life.
To address these issues, this project will implement and evaluate the IAD International Best Practice Guideline (BPG) and the Ghent Global IAD categorisation tool (GLOBIAD) on the management of patients with IAD and incontinence.
This project will deliver skin care using a patient-centred approach to prevent the detrimental effects of IAD, reduce the risk of bed sores, and avoid negative patient outcomes. Methods will include surveys, interviews and a before and after study. A healthcare diagnosis code for measurement and reporting purposes will be developed.
This project will be guided by the principles of translational research. The implementation of district-wide evidence-based practices using a translational research approach that engages key stakeholders will allow standardisation that accommodates a range of settings. This provides evidence, and a model, for future translation into other health districts state-wide and nationally.