Speakers - 2026

Title: A study to determine the contributing factors for ICU stress and to assess the effectiveness of intervention package in reducing stress and improving general well being among patients admitted in ICU

Abstract

Introduction: Modern life comprises hassles deadlines, frustrations and demands. Scientist have long been aware of the fact that, high level stress leads to serious health risk to the body of human. Intensive care unit is a place where patients with critical condition need special care and treatment. The experience of an intensive care unit is extremely stressful and disruptive for patients and family members. Tactile touch therapy is the practice of massage by accredited professionals to achieve positive health, which includes physical, functional and psychological out come of the clients. Psycho acoustic therapy is used to relieve anxiety and is a powerful distracter from distressful sounds and thoughts in the ICU. Therefore, in the present study psychoacoustic therapy and tactile therapy are selected to relieve stress and improve general well being of patients admitted in ICU.

Aim and Objectives: The study is aimed to determine the contributing factors for ICU stress and to assess the effectiveness of intervention package in reducing stress and improving general well being among patients admitted in ICU.

The objectives of the study are to,

1) To find out the contributing factors for stress among patients admitted in ICU.

2) To assess the pretest and posttest level of stress and general well being among patients in ICU in the experimental and control group.

3) To evaluate the effectiveness of intervention package on stress and general well being among patients in ICU.

4) To find out the relationship between posttest level of stress and general well being among patients admitted in ICU.

5) To find out the association between level of stress, general well being in experimental group of patients in ICU with their selected demographic variables and clinical characteristics.

The hypotheses of the study are to,

1. The mean posttest level of stress among experimental group of patients in ICU will be significantly lower than their mean pretest level of stress.

2. The mean posttest level of stress among experimental group of patients in ICU will be significantly lower than the mean posttest level of stress among control group.

3. The mean posttest level of general well being among experimental group of patients in ICU will be significantly higher than their mean pretest level of general well being.

4. The mean posttest level of general wellbeing among experimental group of patients in ICU will be significantly higher than their mean posttest level of general well being among control group.

5. There will be a significant negative relationship between posttest level of stress and general well being among patients admitted in ICU.

6. There will be a significant association between the posttest level of stress, general well being in experimental group of patients in ICU and their selected demographic variables and clinical characteristics.

7. There will be a significant association between pretest level of stress among patients in ICU and their selected clinical characteristics.

Methods: Quasi-experimental non-equivalent pretest / posttest control group design was used to collect the data. A total of 200 patients admitted in intensive care unit were selected as experimental group [n=100] and control group [n=100] through convenience sampling technique. Pretest assessment of stress and general well being was done. Psychoacoustic therapy and music therapy were given for five days. Posttest assessment was done on the sixth day.

Data collection tool included were

(1) demographic variables and clinical characteristics of patients admitted in ICU.

(2) Modified Environmental Stressor Questionnaire (ESQ), (3) Modified stress scale,

(4) Modified general well being questionnaire.

Results: Major findings of the study.

The findings of the study revealed that, there is a significant reduction in the posttest means scores of stress in experimental group than the control group. [Physical factors [‘t’=14.21, p<0.05], psychological factors [‘t’=41.92, p<0.05], social factors [‘t’=7.87, p<0.05] and the overall stress [‘t’=30.78, p<0.05]. There is a significant improvement in the posttest mean scores of general well being in experimental group than the control group [‘t’=16.57, p<0.05]. There is a negative relationship between overall ICU stress and general well being [‘r’=-0.707**] of ICU patients. The present study findings concluded that, psychoacoustic therapy and tactile touch therapy are effective in reducing stress and improving general well being among patients admitted in intensive care unit.