Assessment of Satisfaction Levels Among Families of Intensive Care Unit Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Regularly measuring family satisfaction with intensive care unit (ICU) experience is crucial for ensuring high-quality care and identifying areas for improvement. This study aimed to evaluate family satisfaction with the ICU in Saudi Arabia.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 248 family members of patients admitted to various ICUs. The survey assessed family satisfaction via a validated questionnaire, the Critical Care Family Satisfaction Survey (CCFSS), which includes five subscales: assurance, information, comfort, proximity, and support. Demographic data were also collected. Descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated.Results: The demographic distribution revealed that a majority of the participants were female (70.97%, n = 176), with the relationships with the patients predominantly being parents (41.94%, n = 104) or offspring (33.87%, n = 84). The overall satisfaction score was 3.79 +/- 1.26, with 66.13% of the participants reporting high satisfaction, 20.97% reporting intermediate satisfaction, and 12.90% reporting low satisfaction. The mean subscale scores were as follows: assurance (3.82 +/- 1.2), information (3.83 +/- 1.25), comfort (3.81 +/- 1.27), proximity (3.72 +/- 1.28), and support (3.78 +/- 1.28). The highest satisfaction scores were observed for sharing in decisions, noise levels, and staff honesty, whereas the lowest scores were for visiting hours flexibility, transfer preparation, and staff responsiveness. Males reported significantly greater satisfaction (4.24 +/- 1.20) than females did (3.61 +/- 1.11, p=0.007).Conclusions: This study revealed moderate to high levels of family satisfaction with the ICU, with significant differences based on sex. The findings highlight the importance of effective communication, family involvement in decision-making, and supportive ICU policies. ICUs should regularly assess family satisfaction and use the results to guide quality improvement efforts, with a focus on areas with lower satisfaction scores.