Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among Intensive Care unit survivors. A prospective study in Rasht, Iran

Parinaz Sedadi; Ali Ashraf; Ali Pourramezani; Roghaye Zareh

doi:10.18502/ajs.v7i4.17467

Parinaz Sedadi Medical Doctor, Private Practice, Rasht, Iran
Ali Ashraf Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesia Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Guilan, Iran
Ali Pourramezani Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatric Disease , Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Guilan, Iran
Roghaye Zareh Assistant Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Guilan, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ajs.v7i4.17467

Keywords: Post-traumatic stress disorder, Intensive Care Unit, trauma, ICU survivors

Abstract

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder resulting from a previous traumatic experience. The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of PTSD and its related risk factors among Intensive Care Unit (ICU) survivors.

Methods: A total of 152 patients were followed up prospectively for one month. All included participants had Glasgow Coma Scale scores ranging from 12 to 15. PTSD was assessed using a Persian-translated version of the PTSD Checklist (PCL). Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 software.

Results: Among the participants, seventy-two (47.4%) men and eighty (52.6%) women with a mean age of 54.5 ± 19.19 years responded to the questionnaire. The prevalence of post-discharge PTSD was 87.5%. There was a significant correlation between PTSD mean score and clinical factors such as hospitalization reason, self and familial history of psychological disorders, and Richmond Agitation Sedation Score (RASS) (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that, despite often being ignored, post-discharge PTSD is a significant psychological issue for ICU survivors. This highlights the importance of supportive care plans for patients with a history of mental disorders and agitation. The involvement of psychotherapists is crucial to improving post-discharge quality of life.