Observational studyIntensive care medicine2022
Psychological distress and morbidity of family members experiencing virtual visiting in intensive care during COVID-19: an observational cohort study.
Observational study in Intensive care medicine, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effects of digital communication tools on patients, family members and health care professionals in adult ICUs: a mixed-methods systematic review.Critical care (London, England) · 2026Pooled it
- Digital Tools for Information, Communication, Support, and Family Engagement in Adult Intensive Care Units: A Scoping Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- The Effect of Shared Decision-Making on Emergency Management Knowledge, Anxiety, and Mental Health Among Family Members of Terminally Ill Patients in the ICU: A Quasiexperimental Study.Nursing research and practice · 2026Article
- The Legal and Ethical Dimensions of Hospital Visitation Bans in the COVID-19 Era.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Waves of hurt faced by families due to a hospitalised relative with COVID-19 in the Cape Flats.Health SA = SA Gesondheid · 2025Article
- Ethical considerations related to virtual visiting for families and critically ill patients in intensive care: a qualitative descriptive study.BMC medical ethics · 2024Article
- Quantifying the benefits of healthy lifestyle behaviors and emotional expressivity in lowering the risk of COVID-19 infection: a national survey of Chinese population.BMC public health · 2023Article
- The positive impact of COVID-19 on critical care: from unprecedented challenges to transformative changes, from the perspective of young intensivists.Annals of intensive care · 2023Review
- Family member perspectives on intensive care unit in-person visiting restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study.Intensive & critical care nursing · 2023Article
- [Challenges of and Responses to Mental Health Problems in the Post-COVID-19 Era].Sichuan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Sichuan University. Medical science edition · 2023Review
- Enhancing end of life care on general internal medical wards: the 3 Wishes Project.BMC palliative care · 2023Article
- Clinician perceptions of the impact of ICU family visiting restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic: an international investigation.Critical care (London, England) · 2023Article
- "I don't know how we would have coped without it." Understanding the Importance of a Virtual Hospital Visiting Program During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Journal of patient experience · 2023Article
- "Loved ones are not 'visitors' in a patient's life"-The importance of including loved ones in the patient's hospital stay: An international Twitter study of #HospitalsTalkToLovedOnes in times of COVID-19.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- Long-term outcomes of COVID-19 intensive care unit survivors and their family members: a one year follow-up prospective study.Frontiers in public health · 2023Observational
- Long-term mechanical ventilation and transitions in care: A narrative review.Chronic respiratory diseaseReview
- Emotions in patients with refractory or unexplained chronic cough: a multicenter, non-interventional study.Therapeutic advances in respiratory diseaseArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeDuring the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, intensive care units (ICUs) around the world introduced virtual visiting to mediate the psychological impact of in-person visiting restrictions. Our objective was to evaluate levels of distress, depression, anxiety, and stress among family members experiencing virtual visits.
methodsMulti-centre prospective observational study recruiting adult family members of critically ill patients in the United Kingdom (UK) using a bespoke virtual visiting solution (aTouchAway). We recruited participants and administered validated questionnaires digitally via their aTouchAway account. Prior to first virtual visit, participants completed the Distress Thermometer (score range 0-10) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS)-21. Following first and subsequent virtual visits, participants repeated the Distress Thermometer and completed the Discrete Emotions Questionnaire.
resultsWe recruited 2166 adult family members of ICU patients in 37 UK hospitals. Most were grown up children (33%) or spouses/partners (23%). Most (91%) were ≤ 65 years. Mean (SD) pre-virtual-visit Distress Thermometer score was 7 (2.6) with 1349/2153 (62%) reporting severe distress. Pre-visit Distress Thermometer scores were associated with relationship type (spouse/partner OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.27-2.12) but not family member age, or length of ICU stay. Mean (SD) post-visit Distress Thermometer score provided by 762 (35%) participants was 1.6 (3.2) points lower than pre-visit (P < 0.001). Of participants experiencing multiple visits, 22% continued to report severe distress. Median (IQR) pre-visit DASS-21 score was 18 (2-42) (1754 participants). Severe-to-extremely severe depression, anxiety, or stress were reported by 249 (14%), 321 (18%), and 165 (9%) participants, respectively. Participants reported a range of emotions with reassurance being the most common, anger being the least.
conclusionFamily members exposed to COVID-19 pandemic ICU visiting restrictions experienced severe distress. One fifth of family members reported severe-to-extremely sever anxiety or depression. Distress score magnitude and prevalence of severe distress decreased after undertaking one or more virtual visits.
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