Thinking outside the box: Intensive care unit diaries to improve psychological outcomes in family members

摘要

Although critical illness has undeniable psychological impact on patients , effects on family members and care-givers are often underappreciated . Post-traumatic stress (PTS) is an especially common problem. Whereas at least 20% of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors experience clinically significant PTS-related symptoms in their first year after ICU discharge , the prevalence may be even higher (up to 33%) in ICU patients' family members . These figures are more than triple the lifetime prevalence of similar symptoms (7%) in the general U.S. population . Importantly, whereas PTS in ICU survivors is associated with memories of frightening experiences that occurred during ICU hospitalization , family members' long-term PTS experience may be more closely tied to communications and decision-making processes with the healthcare team.