EWMA 2024 state of affairs: unmet medical need and health inequality in the treatment of chronic wounds

What is it about?

Abstract Background/introduction Chronic wounds represent an ever-increasing global health crisis, not only exacerbated by a growing, ageing population, but also by the rising prevalence of concomitant morbidity like diabetes. Despite the World Health Organization (WHO) recognising chronic wounds as an epidemic in 2010, statistics show that current curative and strategic health approaches are failing to address the current rapidly increasing unmet wound care medical need of patients. Methods An online survey, custom-designed questionnaire with 31 items, was conducted among EWMA members and EWMA cooperating wound care organisation members. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using absolute and relative frequencies with graphical presentation. Results 176 people participated in this survey. Results show that in 2024, 90% of surveyed European wound care professionals “at the bedside” are strongly concerned about the rapidly increasing number of wound care patients, the corresponding cost and budgetary pressures (93%), and shortage of qualified wound care professionals (87%). Currently, 66% of the participants observe important health inequality and limited access to wound management among patients, while 71% report experiencing moderate to severe economic constraints affecting availability of medical treatment for their patients. Concerning newer, advanced wound therapies, 83% of European HCP observe that reimbursement is either partially (22%), or strongly limited (61%) for their patients. Similar limitations are reported for the coverage for wound care products, whether “new” or “established” (81%), and for wound care therapy as a whole (78%). Conclusion Urgent action is needed to address the growing unmet needs of European wound care patients and mitigate the associated human and economic burdens of the chronic wound epidemic.

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