Measuring anxiety & depression in the post critical care population - comparison of the hospital anxiety and depression scale and intensive care psychological assessment tool

Introduction The impact of critical illness on psychological wellbeing can be severe with patients reporting high levels of anxiety & depression [1]. The psychological impact of critical illness can be long lasting, affecting both patients and their families and impacting on quality of life following hospital discharge [2]. A minority of patients will develop posttraumatic stress disorder following the acute illness and the NICE guideline CG83 recommends that patients are assessed for acute distress and risk of future psychological morbidity [3]. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was developed as a snapshot assessment of psychological morbidity for hospital in-patients and has been validated in Critical Care Follow Up Clinic patients with a cut-off of ≥8 /14 for each domain for mild distress and ≥11/14 for significant morbidity [4]. The IPAT tool has been validated in critically ill patients as a screening tool to detect acute distress in critical care patients once they are awake, alert & orientated, with a cut off ≥7 / 20 indicating morbidity [5]. It has not been previously reported immediately following Critical Care discharge.