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Long-Term Communicative Experiences of Tracheostomised Patients 1 Year After Hospital Discharge: A Mixed Methods
Tatiana Bolgeo1, Roberta Di Matteo1, Menada Gardalini1
1Department of Research and Innovation, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria SS Antonio e Biagio e Cesare Arrigo, Alessandria, Italy.
Journal of Clinical Nursing
|May 7, 2026
Summary
Tracheostomised ICU survivors face long-term communication challenges impacting quality of life. Regaining voice is crucial for emotional adjustment and social reintegration, necessitating specialized post-ICU care.
Area of Science:
- Intensive Care Medicine
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Communication Sciences
Background:
- Tracheostomy in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) can lead to prolonged communication difficulties.
- Understanding the long-term impact on survivors' communicative experiences is essential for effective rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore long-term communication experiences of tracheostomised ICU survivors 12 months post-discharge.
- To identify communication facilitators, barriers, coping strategies, and assess quality of life (QoL) and self-esteem.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative-dominant mixed methods study with 23 Italian ICU survivors 12 months post-discharge.
- Semi-structured interviews analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
- Quantitative data collected via EQ-5D-5L, EQ-VAS, and VASES for QoL and self-esteem assessment.
Main Results:
- Four themes emerged: voicelessness, adaptive communication, voice recovery's impact, and psychosocial adjustments.
- Communication impairment remained a determinant of reduced well-being one year post-discharge.
- Quantitative data showed reduced self-esteem and QoL (EQ-5D index=0.61, EQ-VAS=58.4, VASES=54.2).
Conclusions:
- Voice recovery significantly impacts emotional adjustment and QoL in tracheostomised ICU survivors.
- Multidisciplinary post-ICU follow-up focusing on communication and psychosocial rehabilitation is needed.
- Findings support individualized interventions to improve QoL and social reintegration.
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