Which client is most likely to experience delayed wound healing?

• A. An 80-year-old client with diabetes
• B. A 60-year-old client with shingles
• C. A 50-year-old client with hypertension
• D. A 21-year-old client with a radial fracture

Answer: (A)

Wound healing relies on adequate oxygen delivery, perfusion, nutrition, and immune function. Diabetes mellitus, especially in an older adult, disrupts several of these factors: high blood glucose impairs neutrophil function and increases infection risk, microvascular disease reduces blood flow to healing tissue, and there’s slower collagen synthesis and remodeling. Age itself also brings a natural decline in immune response and tissue regeneration, which compounds those diabetes-related effects. Hypertension alone doesn’t directly halt the cellular steps of healing as strongly, and a younger person typically has better perfusion and immune response, supporting faster healing. Shingles involves a viral skin infection; while it can complicate healing if severe or systemic, it does not inherently delay wound repair to the same degree as diabetes in an older adult.