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E-health intervention for relatives of ICU patients

The Post Intensive Care Syndrome, PICS, is a well-known and for some time also recognized psychological condition that ICU patients can suffer from after a (long-term) ICU admission. However, the stay of their loved one in the ICU can also have major and long-lasting psychological consequences for loved ones.

About a third to half of those close to them sometimes still struggle with psychological complaints months after the ICU admission of a loved one. These complaints range from anxiety, depression, gloomy feelings and complex grief. “It doesn’t apply to everyone, but for some family members these feelings can be disruptive. Thirty to fifty percent of the family members remain anxious or depressed for up to a year after admission,” says Margot van Mol, coordinator of the IC aftercare team.

E-health interventie PICS-F

from research the IC aftercare team of the Erasmus MC has shown that a ‘Family version’, PICS-F, of the digital Post IC diary can help relatives to cope with these complaints. The Post-IC diary was initially specially developed to support ICU patients who are struggling with Post Intensive Care Syndrome after a (long-term) stay in the ICU.

The e-health intervention should become an instrument to give relatives the feeling that their feelings are not exceptional. “Friends sometimes think: what am I nagging? My partner is still alive. I wasn’t sick was I? Wasn’t it much worse for him or her? But feelings of fear and gloom are part of it. When people discover that, it becomes easier to give the experiences a place,” says Mol. In January, together with ICT, the actual development of the PICS-F e-health intervention will start. The budget for this was previously made available by ZonMw.

Research digital diary

Margot Mol and her IC aftercare team from Erasmus MC are researching a digital diary for relatives. She envisions a personal health environment where family members can find and complete relevant information and questionnaires in order to learn more about their complaints. “People could, for example, fill out short questionnaires, which then tell them something about their psychological health. Tailor-made actions are then linked to the results of those questionnaires. Think of useful tips, but if necessary also the advice to visit a GP,” says Mol.

Opening event 2022

Would you also like to attend the ICT&health Opening Manifestation on 31 January 2022? Tickets are free, but it’s really gone! So don’t wait and sign up quickly.

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