Evaluating the Effect of Planned Online Video Visitations on Anxiety and Depression of Patients at Open Heart Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Anxiety and depression are among the most important and common problems in patients admitted to the intensive care unit open-heart (ICU-OH). While the family plays a vital supportive role in decreasing these complications, patients are deprived of this supportive source during the important post-operative days due to visiting restrictions at these wards.

Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the role of online video visitations on the anxiety and depression of patients at ICU-OH.

This randomized clinical trial was carried out among 66 patients at ICU-OH of Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. The subjects were selected by the convenience sampling method and were randomly allocated to the intervention and control groups. Data were collected using a demographic characteristics checklist and HADS. In the intervention group, online video visitations with the family were carried out three times in the morning, evening and night on the second and third days of hospitalization in ICU-OH. In the control group, patients received the routine care of the ward and had no visitations with their families. Data were collected before the surgery, as well as 24 and 48 hours after admission to the ICU-OH. In addition, data analysis was performed in SPSS using independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, paired t-test, and Chi-square test.

No significant difference was observed between the intervention (7.8 ± 2.2) and control (8.3 ± 2.3) groups regarding the mean anxiety score 24 hours after the intervention (P = 0.416). However, the mean anxiety scores 48 hours after the intervention were 6.1 ± 2.3 and 7.7 ± 2.6 in the intervention and control groups, respectively, showing a significant decrease in the intervention group, compared to the control group (P = 0.010). However, the mean depression scores 24 and 48 hours after the intervention were estimated at 8.0 ± 2.0 and 7.1 ± 2.0, respectively, demonstrating no significant difference from the control group (P = 0.933 and P = 0.269).

According to the study results, online video visitations decreased anxiety in patients at ICU-OH. Therefore, it is recommended that this method be used as an alternative to in-person meetings of patients at this ward.