Associations Between Gender, Resiliency Factors, and Anxiety in Neuro-ICU Caregivers: a Prospective Study

Informal caregivers of patients admitted to the neuroscience intensive care unit (Neuro-ICU) are at risk for developing chronic anxiety. Resiliency factors may reduce risk, yet their differential effects for female and male caregivers have not been studied in this population. We aim to examine interactions between gender and baseline resiliency factors and anxiety at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.

Prospectively studied caregivers (N = 96) of patients admitted to the Neuro-ICU completed baseline sociodemographics and resiliency measures (coping, mindfulness, self-efficacy, intimate care, and caregiver preparedness), and anxiety severity at baseline (hospitalization), 3 months, and 6 months.

Baseline anxiety predicted future anxiety (3 and 6 months). Caregivers who reported high (versus low) baseline coping, mindfulness, self-efficacy, and preparedness for caregiving reported lower baseline anxiety (ps ≤ 0.012). An interaction between caregiver gender and baseline mindfulness was seen at 3 months (p = 0.021), with high mindfulness males reporting lower anxiety than high mindfulness females, and low mindfulness males reporting higher anxiety than low mindfulness females.

Results emphasize the protective role of resilience in the trajectory of anxiety among informal caregivers. Findings emphasize the need to rapidly deploy skills-based treatment to Neuro-ICU caregivers to prevent future development and maintenance of anxiety, specifically emphasizing mindfulness in male caregivers.