Rehabilitation needs, preferences, barriers, and facilitators of individuals with sepsis: a qualitative study

To explore the rehabilitation needs, preferences, barriers, and facilitators of sepsis survivors.

We performed a qualitative descriptive study. We included English-speaking adults over 18 years old with a past diagnosis of sepsis or a caregiver of an individual with a past diagnosis of sepsis. We conducted semi-structured interviews on Zoom, guided by the COM-B Framework and transcribed interviews verbatim. Two reviewers conducted qualitative content analysis.

We included 22 participants. Participants identified the need for early and continued rehabilitation, including support for physical and cognitive health. They described barriers related to social isolation, finances, and lack of information on and accessibility to rehabilitation services. Participants reported that they preferred to participate in rehabilitation that included peer support, education for themselves and caregivers, and personalized services. Interview findings underscore the need to increase the accessibility of rehabilitation resources and the knowledge of sepsis survivors and their caregivers on the condition and the benefits of rehabilitation.

We identified rehabilitation needs, preferences, barriers, and facilitators necessary to better support sepsis survivors in their recovery process. Future research should focus on tailoring strategies to improve the opportunity for rehabilitation for sepsis survivors and increasing the knowledge of sepsis in survivors and their caregivers to maximize participation in rehabilitation for individuals with sepsis.