International Emergency Nursing
Volume 16, Issue 4 , Pages 241-249, October 2008

Memories following physical trauma in patients treated in the ICU: Does gender and head injury make a difference?☆

  • Lotta Johansson, RN MSc (Senior intensive care nurse)

      Affiliations

    • Sahlgrenska University Hospital Gothenburg, CIVA 96 Gröna stråket 2, 413 45 Gothenburg, Sweden
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +46 31 3421096; fax: +46 70 8199664.
    • ,
  • Mona Ringdal, MScN (Lecturer)

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Health and Care Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 457, S-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
    • Tel.: +46 31 7866091; fax: +46 31 7866050.
    • ,
  • Ingegerd Bergbom, PhD (Professor)

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Health and Care Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 457, S-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
    • Tel.: +46 31 7866070; fax: +46 31 7866050.

Received 4 March 2008; received in revised form 5 May 2008; accepted 6 May 2008.

Abstract 

The aim of this study was to explore differences between male and female survivors and describe the relation between head injury and memories in men and women. This multi-centre study included 239 trauma patients who answered a self-administered questionnaire (ICUM tool) 6–18 months after discharge from the ICU. Few gender differences were found regarding their memories before, during and after the ICU stay. The univariate and multivariate analyses showed that more women than men reported memories from the time in hospital before being admitted to the ICU. Women also recalled a significantly higher number of memories of feelings than men. Furthermore, patients without head injury had more memories from the time before and during their stay in the ICU than patients with head injury but did not report more memories from the time after the ICU. The ISS mean score was higher for men than for women, more men than women had renal failure and more men than women received opioid treatment. The conclusion is that gender is of less importance concerning memories from the time before, during and after the stay in the ICU.

Keywords: Memories, Intensive care unit, Physical trauma, Gender

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☆ L.J. contributed in all stages of the research: planning, data collection and analysis, and in writing the bulk of the paper. IB contributed in the design of the study, analysis and writing. MR contributed in the data collection and analysis. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

PII: S1755-599X(08)00057-8

doi:10.1016/j.ienj.2008.05.002

International Emergency Nursing
Volume 16, Issue 4 , Pages 241-249, October 2008

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