Digital Postintensive Care Support: A Comparative Survey Study Among Survivors Across Four European Countries

Professionals in intensive care units (ICUs) should increasingly consider digital innovation in high-quality specialized recovery programs that are easily accessible for ICU survivors and their family members. However, a gap in the literature exists on what is known about the perspectives among the expected users for these digital applications in different healthcare systems. This study explores the differences in perspectives toward digital interventions in post-ICU support among ICU survivors across 4 European countries. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using an investigator developed questionnaire to assess perspectives on digital interventions across Croatia, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Among 106 ICU participants, the majority was female (63.0%) and aged between 46 and 55 years (36.8%). Three key factors related to digital post-ICU support were identified: perception (ie, perceived effectiveness and relevance of digital health program content), accessibility, and openness to digital health technologies. Interestingly, no significant differences across countries or demographic groups were found. Digital health interventions can provide effective and personalized support to individuals facing similar health challenges across different countries.