Factors Associated with Anxiety among Families of Patients in Intensive Care Unit, in Wenzhou, China
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Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to assess anxiety levels in family members of ICU patients and determine the relationship between disease severity, social support, resilience and anxiety.
Design: Descriptive correlational research design.
Methods: A descriptive correlational study was conducted at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, China, involving 101 family members of patients admitted in the ICU for at least 24 hours with the following inclusion criteria: being a primary caregiver, aged over 18 years, not having a history of diagnosed mental disorders, and well literate in Mandarin. Data were collected using demographic questionnaire, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, 14-item Resilience Scale, Social Support Rating Scale, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II. Pearson product moment correlation was used to explore the relationships between anxiety and the independent variables.
Main findings: Half of family members (50.5%) exhibited mild to severe anxiety levels. Female participants exhibited significantly higher anxiety than male participants. The severity of disease was positively correlated with anxiety (r = .40, p < .001), while resilience (r = - .70, p < .001) and social support (r = - .62, p < .001) were negatively correlated with anxiety.
Conclusion and recommendations: Anxiety among family members of Intensive care unit patients were correlated with disease severity, social support, and resilience. These findings underscore the need for healthcare interventions that enhance resilience and social support to mitigate anxiety and improve the emotional well-being of ICU family members.
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