Mental health symptoms in family members of COVID-19 ICU survivors 3 and 12 months after ICU admission: a multicentre prospective cohort study

Hidde Heesakkers, Johannes G van der Hoeven, Stijn Corsten, Inge Janssen, Esther Ewalds, Dominique Burgers-Bonthuis, Thijs C D Rettig, Crétien Jacobs, Susanne van Santen, Arjen J C Slooter, Margaretha C E van der Woude, Marieke Zegers, Mark van den Boogaard

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Abstract

PURPOSE: Long-term mental outcomes in family members of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) intensive care unit (ICU) survivors are unknown. Therefore, we assessed the prevalence of mental health symptoms, including associated risk factors, and quality of life (QoL) in family members of COVID-19 ICU survivors 3 and 12 months post-ICU.

METHODS: A prospective multicentre cohort study in ICUs of ten Dutch hospitals, including adult family members of COVID-19 ICU survivors admitted between March 1, and July 1, 2020. Symptom prevalence rates of anxiety, depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Impact of Event Scale-6), and QoL (Short Form-12) before ICU admission (baseline), and after 3 and 12 months were measured. Additionally, associations between family and patient characteristics and mental health symptoms were calculated.

RESULTS: A total of 166 out of 197 (84.3%) included family members completed the 12-month follow-up of whom 46.1% and 38.3% had mental health symptoms 3 and 12 months post-ICU, respectively; both higher compared to baseline (22.4%) (p < 0.001). The mental component summary score of the SF-12 was lower at 12-month follow-up compared with baseline [mean difference mental component score: - 5.5 (95% confidence interval (CI) - 7.4 to - 3.6)]. Furthermore, 27.9% experienced work-related problems. Symptoms of anxiety (odds ratio (OR) 9.23; 95% CI 2.296-37.24; p = 0.002) and depression (OR 5.96; 95% CI 1.29-27.42; p = 0.02) prior to ICU admission were identified as risk factors for mental health symptoms after 12 months.

CONCLUSION: A considerable proportion of family members of COVID-19 survivors reported mental health symptoms 3 and 12 months after ICU admission, disrupting QoL and creating work-related problems.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)322-331
Number of pages10
JournalIntensive Care Medicine
Volume48
Issue number3
Early online date1 Feb 2022
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2022

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • Critical care
  • Family members
  • Mental health
  • Quality of life

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