Impact of COVID-19 infection experience on mental health status of intensive care unit patients’ family members: a real-world study

Abstract

Purpose Family members of patients hospitalized in intensive care unit (ICU) are susceptible to adverse psychological outcomes. However, there is a paucity of studies specifically examining the mental health symptoms in ICU patients' family members with a prior history of COVID-19 infection. Aim This study aimed to investigate mental health status and its influencing factors of ICU patients' family members with previous COVID-19 infection experience in China. Design Nationwide, cross-sectional cohort of consecutive participants of family members of ICU patients from 10 provinces randomly selected in mainland China conducted between October 2022 and May 2023. Methods The basic information scale, Self-rating depression scale, Self-rating Anxiety Scale, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, Pittsburgh sleep quality index, Perceived Stress Scale, Connor-Davidson resilience scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire were employed to explore mental health status among participants. Results A total of 463 participants, comprising 156 individuals in Covid-19 family member cohort (infection group) and 307 individuals in control family member cohort(control group), met inclusion criteria. The infection group exhibited significantly higher incidence of composite mental health symptoms compared to control group (P = 0.017). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that being female, engaging in physical/mental labor, residing in rural areas, and having children were identified as risk factors for the development of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, while medical history of surgery was protective factor. A predictive model demonstrated a favorable discriminative ability and excellent calibration. Conclusion COVID-19 infection experience regarded as new traumatic stressors worsen mental health status of ICU patients' family members.

Gender-specific associations between personality traits and mental health status of intensive care unit patients’ family members

“…In China, a study suggested that a total of 71.7% of family members suffer from FICUS. Among them, 31.7% of them were with depression, 41.7% of them were with anxiety, 63.5% of them were patients with sleep disorders, and 44.1% of them were with PTSD 5 .…”

“…There are also studies investigating the risk factors for FICUS and PICUS. A study in China found that being female is a risk factor for developing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD in the FICUS 5 . Another meta-analysis study involving 2,964 patients also found that being female is a signi cant risk factor for anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder in the PICUS 6 .…”