The impact of self-isolation on healthcare workers' psychological wellbeing and how to reduce it: a systematic review

Abstract: Self-isolation is a critical public health strategy in global efforts to curb infectious diseases, but its impact on healthcare workers' psychological well-being is poorly understood. A previous systematic review found that self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic can affect psychological wellbeing in the general population, especially post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The review also highlighted gaps in the research base and made recommendations for public health practitioners implementing containment measures in the future. However, healthcare workers were particularly vulnerable to poor mental health during the pandemic, including heightened risk of PTSD compared to the general population. It is crucial to bring together the evidence produced during the pandemic on the risk and protective pathways and the interventions that work to support wellbeing during self-isolation in this high-risk population. This will help to inform the development of targeted interventions to support healthcare workers' psychological wellbeing during future outbreaks of infectious disease.