Psychological Reactions of Family Members of Patients Hospitalized in Critical Care and General Units Compared with General Population

Family members of hospitalized patients experience a lot of stress. This study was performed to determine the psychological reactions of family members of patients hospitalized in critical care and general units compare with general population. It was a descriptive، cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of family members of patients in critical care unit، and general units of Zahedan Khatam Alanbia hospital (each= 135) and 135 family members from general population recruiting by convenience sampling in 2012. Psychological reactions including stress، anxiety and depression were assessed by DASS- 21 standard questionnaire. Data was analyzed by ANOVA and Independent T tests using SPSS-PC (v. 16). The mean score of stress، anxiety and depression of family members of patients in critical units was 12. 8 ± 5. 5، 14. 33 ± 5. 19 and 12. 29 ± 5. 76 respectively that was significantly more than family members of patients in general units and general population (p< 0. 001). The post hoc tests showed that paired tests of the mean score of anxiety، stress and depression in all three groups were significant α) = 0/05). So that the mean score of all three variables in family members of patients in critical care units were more than the family members of patients in general units and in family members of patients in general units was more than the general population. The finding also indicated that there are significant differences between the mean score of stress، anxiety and depression in spouses، mothers، unemployed، house keepers and women of family members of patients in critical care units and family members of patients in general units and general population (p<0. 05). Hospitalization of one family member leads to stress، anxiety and depression in family members. Therefore designing and performing family-centered interventions to reduce stress، anxiety and depression in these populations is recommended. Future research to study the factors related to these psychological reactions is also recommended.