Abstract 286: Assessing the Needs of Caregivers of Cardiac Arrest Survivors: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: Interventions addressing highly prevalent psychological distress in caregivers of cardiac arrest (CA) survivors are lacking.We conducted a prospective study to confirm our previous findings of information-based needs as the highest priority in a cross-sectionalsurvey of caregivers of CA survivors. Methods: Adult caregivers of CA survivors hospitalized at Columbia University Medical Center were eligible for recruitment.Caregivers completed an interview after transfer from the intensive care unit (ICU) to inpatient floors and a follow-up interview 1-monthpost-discharge. Interviews allowed for initial free response, followed by prompts for opinions on eight potential interventions addressingpatient-centered needs (i.e., CA education, information on neurological recovery or rehabilitation, having a designated member of thecare team) and caregiver-centered needs (i.e., peer-to-peer support, hospital-based resources, formal psychotherapy, self-care). Interviewtranscripts were used to identify top-ranked needs and temporal changes between post-ICU and 1-month post-discharge. Results: Of 33 caregivers who participated in post-ICU interviews between August 2021-July 2022, 22 who also completed 1-monthinterviews were analyzed. The highest ranked need during acute care (n=10; 45.5%) and 1-month post-discharge (n=8; 36.4%) wasaccess to a designated member of the patient’s medical care team to answer the caregiver’s questions throughout hospitalization and thetransition home. Patient-centered needs accounted for 81.8% (n=18) of caregiver desire for interventions at both time points. 37% (n=8)of caregivers shifted focus between patient- and caregiver-centered needs, observed in both directions, between the two interviews. Conclusions: Caregivers of CA survivors self-reported their greatest need during hospitalization and a month after hospital dischargeas access to trusted resources about their loved one’s medical condition. Studies with a longer follow-up to understand caregivers’journeys and timing of the switch from patient-to caregiver-centered needs are warranted.