QUALITY OF LIFE AND COPING WITH STRESS IN RELATIVES OF PATIENTS IN INTENSIVE CARE UNITS DURING COVID-19

Abstract

Background Factors such as the thought of losing the patient, the uncertainty of the course of the disease, and the inability to obtain sufficient information about the patient are frightening and alarming for relatives of patients in the intensive care unit. Objectives To determine the quality of life and the style of coping with stress of the relatives of patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This study was descriptive and cross-sectional. A personal information form, the Styles of Coping With Stress Scale, and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey were used to collect data. Results The sample size of the study was 162 relatives of patients in the intensive care unit. There was a highly significant (P = .001) positive correlation between the Styles of Coping With Stress mean scores of the participants and their quality of life (as shown by the 36-ItemShort Form Health Survey). Conclusions In addition to the uncertainty and fear associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is very distressing to have a relative who is a patient in the intensive care unit. In this context, it is especially important to improve the level of coping with stress of the relatives of patients in the intensive care unit and to increase their quality of life. (American Journal of Critical Care. Published online February 8, 2023.)