Post-COVID-19 Consequences in Relatives of Severely Ill Patients: Results of the Prospective Multicenter NeNeSCo Study.
Simona Klinkhammer, Caroline van Heugten, Susanne van Santen and 5 others
PMID 41181985WHAT IT FOUND
Relatives of ICU COVID survivors had more anxiety and caregiver strain than relatives of ward survivors.
By 15 months, anxiety scores fell but clinically relevant anxiety stayed similar, while caregiver strain rose. Passive coping was linked to anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, and strain.
Key findings
01At 9 months, relatives of ICU patients had more clinically relevant anxiety (31% vs 10%) and higher caregiver strain scores (median 3 vs 2) than relatives of general ward patients, although high strain was similar (12.7% vs 11.5%).
02From 9 to 15 months, median anxiety decreased (4 to 3), but clinically relevant anxiety stayed similar; clinically relevant caregiver strain increased from 12% to 23%.
03Passive coping in relatives was associated with higher anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and caregiver strain at both time points.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study only followed relatives of patients from the first European COVID-19 wave, so it may not apply to later waves or other countries. It did not measure pre-existing mental health problems or relatives' interactions with hospital staff, which can affect distress. More relatives were lost by 15 months (123 completed the 9-month visit and 101 completed the 15-month visit, with 99 included in some 15-month analyses), and missing questionnaire items were filled in if 15% or fewer were missing. The sample was mostly female and mostly partners, so it says little about other relatives. Because this was an observational cohort, it can show associations, not cause.
Declared interests
The study was supported by The Brain Foundation Netherlands under grant DR-2020-00377. The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these associations as proof that ICU care causes relatives' anxiety or that nurse-led follow-up prevents it. The study observed relatives over time and did not test an intervention, so it cannot show cause or effect.