Incidence of post-intensive care syndrome and its impact on the quality of life of the family caregiver
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15649/cuidarte.4527Keywords:
Critical Care, Critical Care Outcomes, Family, Anxiety, Depression, Quality of LifeAbstract
Highlights
- The incidence rate of PICS-F anxiety/depression (expressed as cases per 100 ICU days) was 9.4 cases for anxiety, 11.6 for depression, and 9.4 for mixed disorders.
- A statistically significant association was found between PICS-F (anxiety) and family caregivers' quality of life at the first measurement point, indicating that the presence of anxiety negatively affects all four dimensions of quality of life.
- The impact of critical illness on family caregivers includes sleep deprivation, fear, and anxiety, symptoms that are exacerbated in ICUs with restricted visitation policies and ineffective communication with healthcare personnel.
- As part of the multidimensional and humanized care in the ICU, symptoms of anxiety and depression in family members should also be acknowledged in order to offer psychological support that could have an impact on outcomes.
Introduction: The American Association of Critical Care defines Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) as a set of new or worsening impairments in the physical, cognitive, or mental health of patients as a result of their stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Families and caregivers may also experience a form of PICS, referred to as PICS-family, which includes symptoms such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and sleep disturbances. Objective: To determine the incidence of PICS-F in a high-complexity healthcare facility and its relationship with the quality of life of family caregivers. Materials and Methods: A prospective, analytical, longitudinal, and observational study was conducted with 95 family caregivers of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Results: An incidence of 9.4 and 11.6 cases of PICS-F per 100 ICU days was identified. This incidence tends to decrease over time. A statistically significant association was found between the presence of anxiety and the development of depression, with an OR of 5.49 [95% IC: 2-14] (p=0.001). Family caregivers reported a negative perception of their quality of life across all three measurement points. Discussion: Anxiety was found to affect all four dimensions of quality of life negatively. The results may be associated with the high levels of stress experienced during the initial stages of ICU admission. Conclusions: PICS-F was identified as a condition that affects family caregivers with anxiety and depression, adversely affecting all four dimensions of the caregiver's quality of life.
How to cite this article: Quiñonez - Mora Marcia Andrea, Villada - Gómez Johan Sebastián, León - Giraldo Hoover, Casallas - Vega Alexander. Incidence of post-intensive care syndrome and its impact on the quality of life of the family caregiver. Revista Cuidarte. 2025;16(2):e4527. https://doi.org/10.15649/cuidarte.4527
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