Depression, anxiety and quality-of-life among relatives of patients with severe brain injury: the acute phase.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the emotional well-being of relatives of patients with a severe brain injury in the acute setting, as well as risk factors associated with high anxiety and depression scores and impaired quality-of-life.


METHODS
Clinical convenience sample.


METHODS
Participants included 45 relatives of patients with severe brain injury recruited at a NICU. All relatives completed selected scales from the SCL-90-R and SF-36 ∼ 14 days after injury. Data concerning the condition of the patient were also collected.


RESULTS
Of the relatives, 51% and 69% reported anxiety and depression, respectively, as well as significantly impaired quality-of-life compared to normal reference populations. Regression analysis revealed that up to 20% of the variance in depression and anxiety scores could be explained by the CRASH 2 Mortality prediction.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of the relatives had severely impaired quality-of-life and symptoms of anxiety and depression during the patient's NICU stay. Future research is required to explore stressors and evaluate effects of psychological intervention in the acute setting.
Department of Neurorehabilitation, Traumatic Brain Injury Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark. anne.norup@hvh.regionh.dk
Anne
A
Norup
Karen-Lise
KL
Welling
Jesper
J
Qvist
Lars
L
Siert
Erik L
EL
Mortensen
D000208:Acute Disease; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016638:Critical Illness; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D004644:Emotions; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors