ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
“It was torture for him, and it was torture for us to see him like that”: understanding multiple intensive care units (ICU)-related triggers of family post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms—a qualitative thematic study
Authors' conclusion
Multiple triggers related to personal history, the ICU environment, clinician communication, and end-of-life experiences were identified
Study context
- Population
- Family members of adult ICU patients ventilated invasively ≥48 h, with clinically significant PTSD symptoms 3 months after ICU discharge or deathof 18 eligible approached
- Participants
- 17 members
- Comparison
- Bereaved relatives vs Relatives of patients alive at 6 months
- Bereaved relativesn = 8
- Relatives of patients alive at 6 monthsn = 9
- Outcome
- ICU-phase triggers of family PTSD symptoms (main themes)
Methodological detailsin-depth, semi-structured interviews, thematic analysis
- In-depth, semi-structured interviews
- Thematic analysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Biographical trajectories and ICU admission: sudden illness onset, guilt, major disruption of daily life
- Navigating the ICU environment: distress related to the technical setting, altered relationships, vicarious suffering, waiting
- Dying and death in the ICU: emotional intensity of preparation for death, interactions with medical devices, the moment of death
- PTSD symptoms appeared to arise from accumulation of stressors throughout the illness trajectory rather than a single event
Further findings
Participant age and interview duration
- Mean age (range)
- 45 (21-70)
- Mean interview duration (range)
- 1h38mins (49 min-2 h 35)
Original publication
“It was torture for him, and it was torture for us to see him like that”: understanding multiple ICU-related triggers of family PTSD symptoms—a qualitative thematic study. Intensive Care Med. Published 10 June 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →