The effects of restricted visitation on delirium incidence in the intensive care units of a tertiary hospital in South Korea.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Delirium is a common but serious complication in critically ill patients. Family visitation has been shown to reduce delirium; however, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, intensive care units (ICUs) restricted regular visitation to prevent the spread of infection. This study aimed to evaluate the association between visitation policies and incidence of delirium in the ICUs.

Methods

This was a retrospective before-and-after study conducted in medical and surgical ICUs at a tertiary hospital. Adult patients admitted to an ICU during one of two periods were included: before the COVID-19 pandemic (June 2017 to May 2019) with regular visitation and during the pandemic (June 2020 to May 2022) with prohibited visitation. Delirium was assessed using

SUBMITTER: Lim L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12408450 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature