The burden of mental illness among survivors of critical care – risk factors and impact on quality of life: a multicenter prospective cohort study

Abstract Background Survivors of critical care may develop mental health disorders in the months after discharge. Research question Which are risk factors for mental health disorders after ICU-discharge; and is there association between the burden of mental illness and HRQoL? Study design and methods: Multicenter prospective cohort study that included 579 adult ICU-survivors with an ICU stay >72 h in10 ICUs. Results The outcomes were anxiety and depression assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) assessed by the Impact Event Scale-6, and HRQoL assessed by the Short Form 12 version 2. The 6-month prevalences of any mental health disorder were 36.2% (the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and PTSD was 24.2%, 20.9%, and 15.4%, respectively). ICU survivors with mental health disorders had worse HRQoL scores in both physical and mental dimensions than those without. The higher the number of psychiatric syndromes manifested, the worse the mental dimension of HRQoL. Age Interpretation The network of potential risk factors for mental illness among post-ICU patients is complex and involves multiple factors (age, premorbid mental health, acute emotional stress, and post-ICU physical impairment). The negative impact of the burden of mental illness on HRQoL among critical care survivors is of concern.