Factors explaining well-being among primary caregivers of prolonged mechanically ventilated patients during hospitalization

Over the last two decades, scientific and technologic advances in medicine have resulted in the ability of the medical community to prolong life. As a result, there are more patients who require prolonged mechanical ventilation. This advancement allows patients to survive but not always to recover (Carson, 2012). Patients who cannot be weaned from the mechanical ventilator within three weeks of intubation (insertion of the breathing tube through the mouth), will be transferred to tracheostomy ventilation (tube breathing) (Hicks et al., 2018). After tracheosomy is done, prolonged mechanical ventilated (PMV) patients who cannot be weaned and are clinically stable, will be transferred to specialised weaning centres (Dres et al., 2016; Verceles et al., 2018).

Studies show that hospitalization is a stressful situation, not only among the patients, but also among the primary caregivers (Lee et al., 2020; Liu et al., 2019). Hospitalization of a family member can be a stressful, complex, and even traumatic experience for primary caregivers (Beesley et al., 2018; Chu et al., 2022; Schenker et al., 2012). However, the primary caregiver may also experience mental well-being due to their loved ones being treated in the medical system. Despite the importance of a mental well-being among primary caregivers and its consequences not only for the patient but also for the ill family member, surprisingly, to date, a minority of studies have examined mental well-being among primary caregivers of hospitalized patients (Dale et al., 2020; Nakarada) - Kordic, 2018). Furthermore, none of these studies examined the factors that explain mental well-being among family caregivers of prolonged mechanical ventilated patients during hospitalization.

Therefore, the current study aims to expand the existing knowledge by examining the factors (illness representations, sense of coherence and perceived social support) that explain well-being among primary caregivers of prolonged mechanical ventilated patients during hospitalization based on the Theory of stress, appraisal and coping (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984).

The current study included 134 caregivers of prolonged ventilated patients during their hospitalization, aged 18 and higher. After the study was approved by the School of Social Work’s ethics committee, the research participants have been recruited from two main sources: a snowball sampling and by contacting social workers in medical centers. Data was collected at a single point of time using a structured self-report questionnaire. The participants filled out a questionnaire that examined mental well-being, illness representations, sense of coherence, perceived social support and socio-demographic variables.