Abstract
To determine prevalence and factors associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression in family members of critically ill cancer patients. Prospective cohort study. A 23-bed intensive care unit in a tertiary cancer centre. Three hundred consecutive families of cancer patients with length of stay >72 h in ICU. None. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaire and critical care family needs inventory were completed by family members. Prevalence of anxiety and depression in family members was 71 and 50.3%, respectively. Regarding the patients' disease, family depression was correlated with presence of metastasis, whereas hematological malignancies correlated with family' anxiety. Anxiety was independently associated with one patient-related factor (prolonged mechanical ventilation) and two family-related factors (catholic religion and gender). Factors associated with symptoms of depression included one patient-related factor (presence of metastasis) and one family-related factor (gender). Present findings demonstrated a high prevalence of anxiety and depression in critically ill cancer patients' family members during an intensive care unit stay.
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