Pressure injuries can develop across U.S. hospitals, particularly among people with limited mobility, poor nutrition, moisture exposure, and impaired sensation. This page maps how incidence and point prevalence are measured, where injuries tend to form, and which factors—like friction, shear, and sustained pressure—drive risk. You’ll also see how staging and risk-screening tools, plus newer detection technologies, connect to clinical outcomes and avoidable costs.
Key Takeaways
- 2.5 million pressure injuries are reported annually across U.S. hospitals
- 1 in 3 hospitalized patients in the U.S. experiences a pressure injury
- 11% overall prevalence of pressure injuries across point prevalence studies in hospitals
- $9.1 billion annual hospital cost for preventable pressure injuries in the U.S.
- $11.7 billion U.S. annual cost burden from pressure injuries (updated estimate used in industry research)
- Each pressure injury episode increases inpatient costs by an estimated $2,450 (U.S. claims-based analysis)
- In 2021, the International Pressure Injury Guideline (UPPI) movement reported 7 levels of recommendations for pressure injury prevention and management
- A 2021 systematic review reported that moisture and skin management interventions decreased pressure injury incidence by 43%
- A 2020 randomized trial reported a 34% reduction in sacral pressure injuries with structured repositioning compared with usual care
- The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPIAP) has published the pressure injury staging framework used in clinical and reporting contexts since 2016 updates
- The Joint Commission includes pressure injury prevention in its National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG) standards
- NICE Quality Standard QS86 focuses on pressure ulcer prevention in adults in hospitals, care homes, and community settings
- The Braden Scale has 6 subscales (sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, friction/shear)
- A 2020 review found that integrated pressure-mapping systems can identify high-risk pressure areas in real time with improved localization accuracy
- A 2019 study reported that ultrasound could detect pressure-related tissue injury changes before visible skin breakdown in a controlled setting
With millions of preventable pressure injuries driving billions in annual costs, better skin and repositioning care can sharply reduce incidence.
Related reading
01 · Category
Healthcare Burden13 stats
01
2.5 million pressure injuries are reported annually across U.S. hospitals
02
1 in 3 hospitalized patients in the U.S. experiences a pressure injury
03
11% overall prevalence of pressure injuries across point prevalence studies in hospitals
04
3% of acute care patients have a pressure injury at any given time (point prevalence)
05
16.5% of ICU patients experience pressure injuries (systematic review estimate)
06
31% prevalence of pressure injuries reported in long-term care settings (point prevalence)
07
Pressure injuries affect approximately 1.6 million people in the U.S. each year
08
Pressure injuries are associated with an average additional 11.3 inpatient days (U.S. estimate)
09
Pressure injuries are associated with increased mortality risk in hospitalized patients (meta-analysis reports a significant association)
10
3.0% of acute care patients have a pressure injury at any given time (point prevalence), point-in-time survey estimate
11
31.0% of long-term care patients have a pressure injury at any given time (point prevalence), point-in-time survey estimate
12
16.5% of ICU patients experience pressure injuries, systematic review estimate
13
11.0% overall prevalence of pressure injuries across point prevalence studies in hospitals
Interpretation
Healthcare Burden Interpretation
Pressure injuries impose a major healthcare burden in the United States, with 1 in 3 hospitalized patients affected and prevalence rising markedly from about 3% in acute care at any given time to roughly 31% in long term care settings.
report visual · Comparison
Pressure injury prevalence is highest in long-term care
In 2019 point-prevalence data, long-term care has the dominant share of pressure injuries (highest prevalence), far exceeding acute care and ICU estimates; overall hospital prevale
31.0% of long-term care patients have a pressure injury at any given time (point prevalence), point-in-time survey estim31%
16.5% of ICU patients experience pressure injuries, systematic review estimate
16.5%
11.0% overall prevalence of pressure injuries across point prevalence studies in hospitals
11%
3.0% of acute care patients have a pressure injury at any given time (point prevalence), point-in-time survey estimate
3%
source-verifiedjournals.lww.com2019
02 · Category
Cost & Economics8 stats
01
$9.1 billion annual hospital cost for preventable pressure injuries in the U.S.
02
$11.7 billion U.S. annual cost burden from pressure injuries (updated estimate used in industry research)
03
Each pressure injury episode increases inpatient costs by an estimated $2,450(U.S. claims-based analysis)
04
$1.3 billion estimated annual cost of pressure ulcers in the U.S. to Medicare (historical federal estimate)
05
In the U.K., pressure ulcer treatment costs were estimated at £2.1 billion in 2010 (commonly cited economic burden)
06
In France, pressure ulcer care costs were estimated at €424 million in 2011 (health economic analysis)
07
A cost-effectiveness analysis reported that prophylactic dressings can be cost-saving when used in high-risk groups (reported net savings in model)
08
A budget-impact model estimated savings of $1.4 million over 2 years with a pressure injury prevention bundle vs current practice (modeled estimate)
Interpretation
Cost & Economics Interpretation
Across the U.S. alone, preventable pressure injuries are estimated to cost hospitals about $9.1 billion to $11.7 billion per year, and with each episode adding roughly $2,450 in inpatient costs, the cost profile clearly shows why pressure injury prevention is a major economic priority within Cost & Economics.
03 · Category
Prevention & Outcomes10 stats
01
In 2021, the International Pressure Injury Guideline (UPPI) movement reported 7 levels of recommendations for pressure injury prevention and management
02
A 2021 systematic review reported that moisture and skin management interventions decreased pressure injury incidence by 43%
03
A 2020 randomized trial reported a 34% reduction in sacral pressure injuries with structured repositioning compared with usual care
04
A 2018 meta-analysis reported that alternating pressure mattresses reduced pressure ulcer incidence by 35% versus standard mattresses
05
A 2017 systematic review reported that heel offloading devices reduce heel pressure injuries by 46%
06
A 2019 review found that risk assessment tools (e.g., Braden scale use) are associated with fewer pressure injuries when embedded in care pathways
07
A 2022 systematic review reported that multi-component prevention bundles reduced pressure injuries by a pooled relative risk reduction of 35%
08
A 2020 cohort study reported that compliance with pressure injury prevention protocols was associated with a 29% reduction in incidence
09
A 2021 meta-analysis found that low-air-loss surfaces decreased pressure injuries with a pooled relative risk of about 0.74 vs comparators
10
A 2019 randomized trial reported that integrated risk monitoring plus repositioning reduced pressure injury rates by 38%
Interpretation
Prevention & Outcomes Interpretation
Across the Prevention and Outcomes evidence, targeted strategies like moisture and skin management cutting incidence by 43% and structured repositioning reducing sacral injuries by 34% show that practical, guideline supported care can drive meaningful prevention gains.
More related reading
04 · Category
Policy & Reporting4 stats
01
The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPIAP) has published the pressure injury staging framework used in clinical and reporting contexts since 2016 updates
02
The Joint Commission includes pressure injury prevention in its National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG) standards
03
NICE Quality Standard QS86 focuses on pressure ulcer prevention in adults in hospitals, care homes, and community settings
04
In the U.K., NICE NG179 includes guidance on managing pressure ulcers, including prevention and treatment recommendations
Interpretation
Policy & Reporting Interpretation
Across the Policy and Reporting landscape, three major bodies in 2020s era guidance and standards reference pressure injury prevention and management, from the NPIAP staging framework to The Joint Commission’s inclusion in National Patient Safety Goals and NICE’s QS86 and NG179, underscoring how strongly prevention and consistent reporting are emphasized across both UK and international systems.
05 · Category
Technology & Measurement11 stats
01
The Braden Scale has 6 subscales (sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, friction/shear)
02
A 2020 review found that integrated pressure-mapping systems can identify high-risk pressure areas in real time with improved localization accuracy
03
A 2019 study reported that ultrasound could detect pressure-related tissue injury changes before visible skin breakdown in a controlled setting
04
A 2021 systematic review reported that transcutaneous oxygen measurement showed measurable differences between developed and non-developed pressure injury areas
05
A 2022 clinical study reported that near-infrared spectroscopy detected microvascular changes associated with pressure injury risk (measured signal differences)
06
A 2020 paper described that computer vision-based systems can quantify wound area with reported mean absolute error below 5% in test datasets
07
A 2020 study reported that smartphone-based wound imaging algorithms achieved classification accuracy above 90% for pressure injury stage categories
08
A 2021 multicenter study reported that electronic risk assessment workflows reduced documentation omissions by 60%
09
A 2018 study reported that adherence to repositioning schedules improved by 25% when electronic reminders were used
10
Pressure injury prevention support surfaces include technologies such as low-air-loss with mean pressure distribution improvements reported in lab testing (measured pressure metrics)
11
A 2017 bench study reported reduced interface pressure by up to 40% using pressure-redistribution overlay designs compared with baseline mattresses
Interpretation
Technology & Measurement Interpretation
Across Braden’s six subscales and multiple device based studies from 2019 to 2022, technology for pressure injury measurement is moving toward real time and subclinical detection with computer vision quantifying wound area with under 5% mean absolute error and modalities like ultrasound, transcutaneous oxygen, and near infrared spectroscopy capturing measurable early changes.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Pressure Injury Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pressure-injury-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Pressure Injury Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/pressure-injury-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Pressure Injury Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pressure-injury-statistics.
Sources & references
43 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+32 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)