J Korean Crit Care Nurs.  2024 Jun;17(2):12-24. 10.34250/jkccn.2024.17.2.12.

Factors Affecting Quality of Life in Family Caregivers of Patients in Intensive Care Units

• Kong KM
• Boo S
• Lee Y
• Ahn JA

• KMID: 2556815
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.34250/jkccn.2024.17.2.12

Abstract

Purpose
: This study aimed to identify factors influencing the quality of life of family caregivers of intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
Methods
: We conducted a study using a cross-sectional design. The study involved 109 family caregivers of ICU patients at a university-affiliated hospital in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires between July 2020 and April 2021 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis.
Results
: The study revealed significant differences in quality of life based on economic status (F=11.63, p ＜ .001), cohabitation with patients (t=-2.04, p=.044), sleep duration after patient’s admission to the ICU (t=-2.48, p =.025), and subjective health status (F=30.06, p ＜.001). There were significant negative correlations observed between quality of life and post-traumatic stress symptoms (r=-.38, p ＜.001) as well as caregiver burden (r=-.46, p ＜.001). Factors affecting quality of life were subjective health status, economic status, and caregiver burden (adj. R² =0.52, F=15.64, p ＜.001).
Conclusion
: These findings underscore the need to develop and implement intervention programs tailored to the health conditions and economic status of family caregivers, with a focus on alleviating caregiver burden. Such initiatives are essential to ultimately improve the quality of life for family caregivers of ICU patients.

Keyword

Caregivers, Intensive care units, Quality of life, Caregiver burden, Stress disorders, post-traumatic; 가족, 중환자, 삶의 질, 돌봄부담감, 외상 후 스트레스 증상