ABSTRACT
Objective:
To analyze the satisfaction, medical situation understanding and symptoms of anxiety and depression in family members of patients admitted to the intensive care unit.
Methods:
The family members of patients who were hospitalized for ≥ 72 hours were invited to participate in the study, which was performed in a public hospital. Questionnaires were answered to assess the understanding of the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, and the support received in the intensive care unit. The family needs were also evaluated using a modified version of the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory (CCFNI). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Results:
A total of 35 family members were interviewed within the patients' first week of stay in the intensive care unit. Most patients (57.1%) were male, aged 54 ± 19 years. Sepsis was the main reason for admission to the intensive care unit (40%); the median of the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) 3 was 68 (48 - 77), and 51.4% of the patients died in the intensive care unit. The majority of the family members were female (74.3%) and were sons or daughters of patients (54.3%), with a mean age of 43.2 ± 14 years. Overall, 77.1% of the family members were satisfied with the intensive care unit. A total of 37.1% of the family members did not understand the prognosis. Receiving clear and complete information in the intensive care unit and the doctor being accessible were factors that were significantly correlated with the overall family satisfaction. The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety (60%) and depression (54.3%) in the family members was high.
Conclusion:
The emotional distress of family members is high during a patient's hospitalization in the intensive care unit, although satisfaction is also high. Clear and complete information provided by the intensivist and the support received in the intensive care unit are significantly correlated with the satisfaction of family members in a public hospital.
Keywords:
Terminal ill; Critical illness; Family; Knowledge; Anxiety; Depression; Consumer behavior