Multiple aspects of quarantine can increase psychological distress in both the general public and healthcare workers, but strategies can minimize these stressors.
Quarantine — the isolation of individuals exposed to an infectious agent in order to limit the spread of disease — has been employed during the recent coronavirus outbreak. In a qualitative review, these authors examine 24 studies of the psychological impact of quarantines initiated during outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Ebola, H1N1 influenza, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and equine influenza and identify key factors contributing to distress.
The five studies with nonquarantined control groups confirmed distressing impacts on both ordinary people and healthcare workers, including anxiety, depression, anger, irritability, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The remaining descriptive studies documented…
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