Intensive care diaries reduce new onset post traumatic stress disorder following critical illness: a randomised, controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Patients recovering from critical illness have been shown to be at risk of developing Post Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD). This study was to evaluate whether a prospectively collected diary of a patient's intensive care unit (ICU) stay when used during convalescence following critical illness will reduce the development of new onset PTSD.

Methods

Intensive care patients with an ICU stay of more than 72 hours were recruited to a randomised controlled trial examining the effect of a diary outlining the details of the patients ICU stay on the development of acute PTSD. The intervention patients received their ICU diary at 1 month following critical care discharge and the final assessment of the development of acute PTSD was made at 3 months.

Results

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SUBMITTER: Jones C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3219263 | biostudies-literature | 2010

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature