Background: Critically ill brain-spinal cord injured patients are at high risk for pressure ulcers. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors of developing pressure ulcers in critically ill patients with brain-spinal cord injuries.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 62 home care patients with brain-spinal cord injuries in Hamadan city in 2012. For three weeks, every 48 to 72 hours, patients were monitored for pressure ulcer risk factors by the use of Braden Scale and a checklist of background factors. Data was analyzed by the use of logistic regression and gamma correlation coefficient.

Results: From among  60 patients studied, 51.7% were male, 83.3% suffered from  stroke, 6.7% had head trauma and10% had spinal cord injuries. The incidence of pressure ulcers among them was 25%. There were seen significant relationships both between The incidence of pressure ulcers and the level of hemoglobin (p=0.05) and between the incidence of pressure ulcers and the Braden scale (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Based on this study decreased sensory perception, increased bed’s moisture, poor nutrition, decreased mobility, increased friction and wear, low level of hemoglobin and low score of Braden Scale are risk factors for developing pressure ulcers in home care patients with brain-spinal cord injuries. Some of these risk factors can be prevented and treated.