Interventions to improve mental health in caregivers of adult intensive care patients: a systematic review

Abstract

Objectives: The stay of a close person at the ICU entails strong stress accompanied by anxiety, the sense of lack of control, and helplessness. Consequently, this may result in the development of a set of disorders which are described in the literature as post-intensive care syndrome–family (PICS-F). That is why interventions to improve mental health and prevent PICS-F are necessary and become more and more important. Methods: A systematic review was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tools for use in JBI Systematic Reviews and was conducted following the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Four databases were searched. Studies published in English between 2014 and 2025 were included. The final database searches were performed in February 2026. Results: A total of 46 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most of them involved supportive/educational interventions, which took various forms (direct, by phone or via mobile devices). The results assessed in caregivers were diversified, similarly to tools used to measure those results. The majority of studies indicates solely a partial improvement in the caregiver outcome. In turn, if the studies reveal a positive effect, the researchers rarely specify the size of that effect. Conclusion: The available literature describes many interventions addressed to families of ICU patients. Some of the studies indicate that there is a potential in improving mental health status. Given large methodological differences in the studies, it is difficult to state unambiguously which of interventions are most effective and bring about the most permanent effect. It is necessary to continue a top quality RCT in this field in order to identify effective interventions which may be incorporated into everyday ICU practices. Implications for clinical practice: Effective communication with ICU patients’ family members and the provision of information can be crucial in clinical practice.