Quality of Life of Family Caregivers of Critically Ill Patients With Cancer Before and After Intensive Care Unit Admission Measured by EQ-5D 3-Level: A Longitudinal Prospective Cohort Study

Objectives: Admission to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is considered a distress journey with an increased demand and cost for informal caregiving. This study aimed to generate utility values through assessing the quality of life (QoL) of family caregivers using the EQ-5D-3L measure before and after ICU admission of their family members.

Methods: A 1-year prospective cohort study (January 2017 to February 2018) was conducted at a comprehensive cancer center in Jordan. Caregivers of adult patients who were in the ICU for ≥ 24 hours were included. The QoL was assessed using the EQ-5D-3L instrument. Caregivers' health profiles were described, and single summary index value for their health status were calculated before ICU admission and were compared with 1-week, 1-month, and 3-month utility index scores after ICU discharge. Predictors of the change of caregivers' QoL were also reported.

Results: During the study period, 126 caregivers completed the QoL assessment at baseline. The mean age ± SD of the cohort was 55 years ± 14, and 52% were males. The mean utility scores ± SD were 0.70 ± 0.32, 0.73 ± 0.29, 0.71 ± 0.31, and 0.78 ± 0.31 at baseline, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after discharge, respectively. A significant relationship between the patient's Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score and the change in caregiver's utility score index after 3 months was reported.

Conclusions: Improvement in caregivers' QoL has been seen 3 months after ICU discharge. Patients' APACHE II score at baseline is a predictor of the change of caregivers' QoL 3 months after discharge.