1054 Factors Associated with Sleep Disturbances and Fatigue Among Taiwanese Primary Family Caregivers in Intensive Care Units

Abstract Introduction Primary family caregivers (PFCs) of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) frequently experience high levels of stress, which may contribute to sleep disturbances and fatigue. Identifying factors associated with these symptoms is critical for informing targeted interventions. This study examined factors associated with sleep disturbances and fatigue among PFCs in ICUs. Methods Data were derived from baseline assessments of an ongoing pilot experimental study conducted in four adult ICUs at a teaching hospital in central Taiwan. Eligible participants were unpaid PFCs of patients receiving mechanical ventilation for more than 48 hours. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing perceived stress (Impact of Event Scale–Revised, IES-R), sleep disturbance (General Sleep Disturbance Scale, GSDS), fatigue (7-item Lee Fatigue Scale, LFS), coping strategies (Brief COPE), and perceived social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support). Pearson correlations and multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted to examine factors associated with sleep disturbances and fatigue. Results Eighty PFCs were recruited, with a mean age of 52.1±12.2 years and 55 (68.8%) participants were female. Participants reported elevated scores for perceived stress (IES-R: 36.2 ± 17.7), sleep disturbance (GSDS: 3.48 ± 1.35), and fatigue (LFS: 3.77 ± 2.01). Higher stress levels were correlated with greater use of both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies (r = 0.58, p < 0.05). In multivariable regression analyses, self-rated patient disease severity and perceived stress were the significant predictors of sleep disturbances and fatigue (both p < 0.05). The full models, including sex, age, self-rated patient disease severity, perceived social support, perceived stress, and overall coping, explained 47.4% of the variance in sleep disturbance [F(6,73) = 12.86, p < 0.05] and 38.7% of the variance in fatigue [F(6,73) = 9.32, p < 0.05]. Conclusion Primary family caregivers of ICU patients experience substantial stress, sleep disturbance, and fatigue. Perceived stress and caregivers’ appraisal of patient disease severity were key factors associated with both outcomes. These findings suggest that interventions aimed at improving stress management and enhancing caregivers’ understanding and coping with the patient’s condition may help alleviate stress-related sleep disturbance and fatigue in ICU caregivers. Support (if any)