Characteristics of Young Adults Admitted to Intensive Care Units at an Academic Health System
Jeanne M Erickson1, Natalie S McAndrew2, Anjishnu Banerjee3
1Jeanne M. Erickson is an associate professor emeritus, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Insights
Most young adults survive intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and return home. Further research is needed on post-hospitalization support for this understudied demographic group.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Demography
- Public Health
Background:
- Young adults (18-39 years) in ICUs are an understudied population with unique critical care needs.
- Their specific health and developmental issues differ from pediatric and geriatric patients.
- Limited research exists on the critical care requirements of this age group.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize young adults (18-39 years) in specialty ICUs.
- To compare ICU populations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To explore associations between clinical/demographic factors and advance directives.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a deidentified dataset of 3401 young adults admitted to ICUs.
- Data collected from one academic health system between 2018 and 2021.
Main Results:
- Mean age was 29.7 years; disproportionately more males and Black individuals were represented.
- Common diagnoses included injury, poisoning, trauma, infections, and endocrine, circulatory, and digestive disorders.
- Mortality rate was 6.6%; over 70% discharged home. A trend of increased Black young adults, severity of illness, and mortality was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusions:
- The majority of young adults survive ICU admission and are discharged home.
- This highlights a critical need for research into effective post-hospitalization support strategies.
- Understanding demographic and clinical factors is crucial for improving care for young adult ICU patients.
Background:
Young adults in intensive care units (ICUs) are a subgroup of patients who have not been adequately studied. Their health and developmental issues differ from those of children and older adults, but little is known about their specific critical care needs.
Objectives:
To describe the characteristics of a cohort of young adults (18 to 39 years of age) receiving care in specialty ICUs, examine differences in this population before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and explore associations among clinical and demographic variables and advance directives.
Methods:
Analysis of a deidentified data set of 3401 young adults who were admitted to ICUs at one academic health system from 2018 through 2021.
Results:
The mean age of the young adult group was 29.7 years (SD, 6.0 years). A disproportionately higher number were male and Black compared with the catchment area and older adult groups. Most of the young adults were single with commercial or government health insurance. One-third had diagnoses of injury, poisonings, and trauma; other common diagnoses were infections and endocrine, circulatory, and digestive disorders. The patients' mortality rate was 6.6%, and more than 70% were eventually discharged to home. One-third had an advance directive. Over the COVID-19 pandemic years, there was a trend toward more Black young adults in the ICU and increased severity of illness and mortality rate.
Conclusions:
Most young adults survived their ICU admission and were eventually discharged to home, highlighting needs for research into posthospitalization support.
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