Defining the needs of ICU patient families in a suburban/rural Greek population: a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Aim: To define the needs of intensive care unit patients' families in the specific suburban/rural population of Crete Island.

Background: Families of intensive care unit patients have specific needs that should also be addressed by the intensive care unit-care team. Current research has mostly concentrated on families from an urban setting, therefore may not be applicable to other populations.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Methods: Family members of patients admitted in the intensive care unit for ≥ 48 hours over 18 months, in a mixed medical-surgical, 11 bed closed intensive care unit. Questionnaire: The Greek translation of Critical Care Family Need Inventory, which consists of 45 need items covering the information, reassurance, proximity, support and comfort domains. Each item was scored on a four-point scale (1 = very important to 4 = not important). Participants were also asked to single out the most important need from the Critical Care Family Need Inventory and complete a questionnaire on basic demographic characteristics.

Results: Two hundred and thirty (65%) family members completed the questionnaire. Mean score for each of the 45 items ranged from 1.03-3 (scale from 1: very important-4: not important). Fourteen items were rated by responders as very important (mean score <1.25). Reassurance need items were consistently singled out as most important regardless of the participant's background. Participants with a lower educational and socio-economical status rated support need items as more important than those with a higher status.

Conclusion: In this particular suburban/rural population, both 'universal' reassurance needs and specific support needs related to responders' educational or socio-economical background were identified.

Relevance to clinical practice: Enhanced recognition of these needs may improve quality of care offered by intensive care unit-care team to families of their patients.