A cross-sectional survey was done to determine the prevalence of pressure sores in hospitalized patients and the factors associated with having a pressure sore in the hospital. Among 634 adult patients, 30 (4.7%; 3.1% to 6.3%, 95% confidence interval) had a pressure sore and 78 (12.3%; 9.8% to 14.8%) were at risk for a pressure sore because they had been confined to a bed or chair for at least 1 week. Comparing these two groups of patients, we found that fecal incontinence, diarrhea, fractures, urinary catheter use, decreased weight, dementia, and hypoalbuminemia were associated with having pressure sores (p less than or equal to 0.05). Using logistic regression analysis, hypoalbuminemia, fecal incontinence, and fractures remained significantly and independently associated with having a pressure sore (odds ratios = 3.0, 3.1, and 5.2, respectively; p less than or equal to 0.05). Our findings suggest that 17% (14% to 20%) of hospitalized patients have pressure sores or are at risk for them, and that hypoalbuminemia, fecal incontinence, and fractures may identify bedridden patients at greatest risk.

"sing a framework based on Orem's self-care deficit theory, five hypotheses related to conditioning factors in self-care agency were tested. The study sample consisted of 60 outpatients with a diagnosis of rheu niatoid arthritis in a large research hospital. Patients completed the Exercise of Self-care Agency instrument and the Health Assessment Questionnaire; a physkian rated their arthritis severity. Twenty percent of subjects had high scores on self-care agency, 63% had average scores, and 16% had low scores. ?'he conditioning factor of age was not related to selfcare ugency. However, education and the duration of ijlness were related to self-care agency in this group of persons with rheumatoid arthritis.

Tuberculosis infects someone in the world every second. Although TB is preventable and curable, it has resurfaced as a significant health problem in the U.S., particularly among Latino immigrant groups. In this study of 65 Latino immigrants primarily from Central America, we examined adherence to appointments and medication taking during the six months of preventive therapy for latent TB infection. Findings indicated that the Latinos' adherence to appointment keeping ranged from 81% on the first visit to 59% by the sixth monthly visit. Similarly, medication adherence dropped from 89% in the first month to 64% at six months. Demographic factors, self-assessment of health, other support and presence of side effects were examined in the analysis. Implications for public health nursing are discussed.

One third of the world's population is infected with the tuberculosis (TB) bacillus, and the disease accounts for more than $700 million annual U.S. health care expenditures. Only about 3% of that amount is spent on preventive therapy. The major problem with preventive therapy is lack of adherence among high-risk groups, such as Latino immigrants. To improve adherence, public health professionals need a better understanding of the meaning of tuberculosis infection to Latino immigrants. In this study, Kleinman's frame-work for eliciting an explanatory model was used in interviews with 65 Latino immigrants enrolled in preventive therapy in a county health department. The focus of the interview was their beliefs concerning the cause of their infection, their fears about it, and the results they hoped to achieve in preventive therapy. Among other findings, the study indicated that most of the immigrants did not know the cause of their infection.

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