Family members of ICU patients during COVID-19 mental health outcomes
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploration of self-reported symptoms of adverse mental health outcomes for family members of critically ill patients during COVID-19 using telephone surveys.
IRAS ID
290909
Contact name
Valerie Page
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 14 days
Research summary
We know that family members of critically ill patients are at increased risk of developing symptoms of anxiety, depression, complicated grief and/or post-traumatic stress. For some individuals these symptoms can persist for months, possibly years, after the discharge or death of their loved one. In the UK we do not know how big a problem this is for family members of our patients in intensive care. In addition since the pandemic family members have been unable to visit loved ones in hospital and had to rely on regular updates on the phone, and they may even have been ill themselves. Family members include anyone who has a close relationship with the patient, including close friends.
This project will provide the information we need to find out if there is an ongoing problem for family members relating to mental health and quality of life. We aim to use the data to inform a future project designed to support and engage vulnerable family members of critically ill patients.
We plan to contact family members of patients admitted to Watford Intensive Care Unit between April 2020 and July 2020 and ask if they would fill a confidential on line survey. The survey will ask for information such as age, ethnicity, if they live alone, or had to self-isolate. There will be a total of 25 questions that look for signs of anxiety and depression (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale) the quality of participant’s life (EQ-5D-5L), and for symptoms of post-traumatic stress (Trauma Screening Questionnaire). We will review the results and where possible link to routinely collected patient data, specifically patients length of intensive care unit stay, hospital stay and COVID-19 diagnosis or not. We will use the information to inform potential strategies to engage and support vulnerable family members.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/WM/0311
Date of REC Opinion
6 Jan 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion