Psychological assessment of the patients after intensive care unit discharge: a prospective cohort study

Background & objective: Admission to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) indicates a serious or even grave health-related condition of the patient. It is almost a stressful experience for a conscious patient, and might have adverse effects on the psychological status of the patients. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of anxiety and depression in patients discharged from the ICU. Methodology: It was a prospective cohort study of 93 ICU patients. All patients were required to answer a self–self-administered questionnaire which consisted of socio-demographic variables and the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) upon ICU discharge and subsequent 4 to 6 weeks. The study identified the prevalence of borderline and abnormal anxiety, as well as borderline and abnormal depression. Results: The prevalence of borderline and abnormal anxiety was 21.5% and borderline and abnormal depression was 34.4% upon ICU discharge. Both parameters were improved after 4 to 6 weeks. The odds of abnormal anxiety at 4 to 6 weeks after discharge were 4.29-fold higher with medical diagnosis [adjusted OR 4.29 (95% CI 1.01, 17.76); P = 0.049] and 4.67-fold higher with patients on benzodiazepines (BDZ) [adjusted OR 4.67 (95% CI 1.21, 18.41); P = 0.026]. There were no significant factors in the multivariate analysis related to abnormal depression. Conclusions: The prevalence of borderline and abnormal anxiety and depression was 21.5% and 34.4% respectively, upon ICU discharge and improved after 4 to 6 weeks. Medical diagnosis and benzodiazepine treatment were significant predictors of anxiety. Abbreviations: BDZ: benzodiazepines, HADS: Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, ICU: Intensive Care Unit, Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Intensive Care Unit; Benzodiazepines; Prevalence Citation: Ismail MA, Zaini RHM, Abdullah F, Mazlan MZ. Psychological assessment of the patients after intensive care unit discharge: a prospective cohort study. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2025;29(6):520-527. DOI: 10.35975/apic.v29i6.2904 Received: May 09, 2024; Revised: October 26, 2024; Accepted: January 01, 2025