RESUMO
AIM: To determine degree of public awareness regarding the activities and health care professionals that comprise intensive care units (ICUs) in the autonomous community of Castilla y León. DESIGN: Questionaire in the form of a true-false test dealing with a) description of an ICU; b) description of ICU patients, and c) degrees and qualifications held by ICU physicians. LOCATION: Waiting rooms of outpatient clinics and ICUs of 9 hospitals in Castilla y León. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: During the period from 1 October 2003 to 29 February 2004, there were surveyed a group of those persons accompanying outpatients arriving for appointments (OP, n = 2,293), and a group comprised of relatives of ICU patients (ICU, n = 727) upon discharge from the ICU. RESULTS: The average age of those subjects surveyed was 45.6 years old. 62.1% were women and 52.8% had received education through secondary level or higher. Of the 1,354 analyzed OP questionnaires, 27.7%, 25.5% and 48.4% responded correctly to questions A, B and C, respectively. Of the 284 analyzed ICU questionnaires, 38.6%, 41.0%, and 63.5% responded correctly to questions A, B and C, respectively. Differences between results from the two surveyed groups were statistically significant, and the best results from the ICU group were found among those subjects whose family members had remained in ICU for 2 days or more. CONCLUSIONS: In the described scope, of the citizens of Castilla y León, 27.7% know as it is a ICU, 25.5% know what type of patients usually is entered there, and 48.4% recognize their doctors like ICU specialists specifically. These knowledge improve significantly after having some relative entered in ICU for more than 2 days.