Which of the following is a psychosocial complication of an ICU stay?

Which of the following is a psychosocial complication of an ICU stay?

• A. Cardiac deconditioning
• B. Prolonged bed rest
• C. Depression and boredom
• D. Increased infection risk

Answer: (C)

Staying in the ICU can affect mental and social health just as it affects the body, leading to psychosocial challenges such as depression and boredom. The ICU environment—constant alarms, isolation from normal routines, limited activities, and disrupted sleep—can provoke mood changes and a sense of disengagement from daily life, which patients may experience even after discharge. This fits the definition of a psychosocial complication, focusing on emotional well-being and social functioning. In contrast, the other options describe physical consequences of critical illness and immobility: cardiac deconditioning refers to decreased cardiovascular fitness from inactivity; prolonged bed rest leads to muscle atrophy and reduced endurance; and increased infection risk stems from invasive devices and immune system changes. While important, these are not psychosocial in nature.

Staying in the ICU can affect mental and social health just as it affects the body, leading to psychosocial challenges such as depression and boredom. The ICU environment—constant alarms, isolation from normal routines, limited activities, and disrupted sleep—can provoke mood changes and a sense of disengagement from daily life, which patients may experience even after discharge. This fits the definition of a psychosocial complication, focusing on emotional well-being and social functioning.

In contrast, the other options describe physical consequences of critical illness and immobility: cardiac deconditioning refers to decreased cardiovascular fitness from inactivity; prolonged bed rest leads to muscle atrophy and reduced endurance; and increased infection risk stems from invasive devices and immune system changes. While important, these are not psychosocial in nature.