Psychological problems in the family members of gravely traumatised patients admitted into an intensive care unit

• Published in: Intensive care medicine 1992-05, Vol.18 (5), p.278-281
• Main Authors: PEREZ-SAN GREGORIO, M. A, BLANCO-PICABIA, A, MURILLO-CABEZAS, F, DOMINGUEZ-ROLDAN, J. M, SANCHEZ, B, NUNEZ-ROLDAN, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Critical Care - psychology; Depression - etiology; Family - psychology; Female; Guilt; Humans; Hypochondriasis - etiology; Intensive Care Units; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Paranoid Disorders - etiology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Schizophrenia - etiology; Sex Factors; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Sociocultural environment; Wounds and Injuries - therapy
• ISSN: 0342-4642; 1432-1238
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01706473

The aim of these studies was the analysis of the psychological repercussions on the closest members of families of 76 gravely traumatised patients admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Hospital Universitario de Rehabilitación y Traumatología "Virgen del Rocio", Sevilla (Spain). An investigation based on social information and the Clinical Analysis Questionnaire was used. The sample of family members was composed of 42 women and 34 men, with an average age of 41.3 years (SD +/- 12.8). Results showed that (a) more than 50% of the family members of gravely traumatised patients admitted into an ICU showed symptoms of depression, (b) the women scored more points in hypochondria, suicidal depression, anxious depression, low-energy depression, guilt-resentment, apathy-withdrawal, paranoia, schizophrenia, psychasthenia and psychological disadjustment, and (c) in general terms, the psychological characteristics of the families were far from the norm of the control group.