Abstract

Introduction: The hospitalization of one of family members, especially in the intensive care unit, as a crisis can cause anxiety of his family and relatives.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine personal effective factors on patient family members’ anxiety in intensive care units.

Material and Methods: In this cross – sectional, descriptive study, 218 family members from 130 inpatient of ICU in the Poorsina and Razi hospitals at ICU section were studied. Two instruments were used in this study: one scale was made by researcher and the other, standard scale hospital anxiety depression scale. Collected data analyzed by SPSS 14 and chi-square test, exact fisher test and logistic regression test were used.

Results: Findings showed that 77.1% of patients’ family members in ICU were anxious. Also effective factors on patient family members anxiety using logistic regression test showed odd ratio to attempt to demographical differences to one increase, patient's consciousness 9.726(OR=9.726) (P=0.017) increased, in female sex 6.171(OR=6.171) (P= 0/005), family decision making for treatment for example operating patient 6.433(OR=6.433) (P=0.007) family age 0.939 (OR=0.939) (P=0.044) increased anxiety.

Conclusion: Because most of these research units were anxious in order to prevent anxiety and its adverse effects, recognition of effective factors in family anxiety is extremely important and needs to be noticed as a priority of care. So it is suggested that nurses should recognize these factors and then to assist ICU's patients' family. In this way the nursing care will perform in family center form and so to prevent destructive effects of anxiety to recognize these factors a nurse should assist patients' family in ICU. Nursing - care needs to be family - centered so to prevent destructive effects of anxiety.

Keyword: Anxiety, Family, Inpatients, Intensive Care Units, Nursing Care