Spotlight on:
The impact of self-isolation on psychological wellbeing

The Impact of Self-Isolation on Psychological Wellbeing

During the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone was asked to carry out protective behaviours that would prevent the spread of illness. While people had been asked to isolate in previous outbreaks, the impact of quarantining on psychological wellbeing was unclear. A rapid review was carried out to inform the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rapid review systematically searched scientific articles and found 24 studies that investigated the effect of quarantine on psychological wellbeing. Studies included in the review found that isolation had a significant negative impact on wellbeing, particularly for those quarantining for longer periods of time. Factors that negatively impacted wellbeing included: having a lack of supplies, resources, income, inadequate information, higher health anxiety, boredom, and stigma of having the virus.

These findings led to a series of recommendations for how to implement quarantine, including clear explanations for how long and why people would have to quarantine, ensuring people had basic supplies, and trying to minimise the impact on people’s income and employment.

Author: Louise Smith; UKHSA Research Profile

The impact of self isolation on psychological wellbeing (Image source:free)

Rapid Review of Existing Evidence

The results of this study were published as a scientific research paper (which has now been cited over 10,000 times, making it one of the most highly cited articles in the history of King’s College London) and shared with policy makers to support and inform the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The review was delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Emergency Preparedness and Response at King’s College London, a collaboration between UKHSA, King’s College London and the University of East Anglia.

A further rapid review investigated how to improve adherence to quarantine. These reviews were subsequently updated to address adherence to self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether self-isolation affected wellbeing (see further reading).

Further Reading:

Measuring and increasing rates of self-isolation in the context of COVID-19: a systematic review with narrative synthesis
Authors: Smith, L.E; Martin, A.F; Brooks, S.K; Davies, R; Stein, M.V; Amlôt, R; Marteau, T.M; Rubin, G.J.

The impact of self-isolation on psychological wellbeing in adults and how to reduce it: a systematic review
Authors: Martin, A.F; Smith, L.E; Brooks, S.K; Stein, M.V; Davies, R; Amlôt, R; Greenberg, N.

OSF/self-isolation: a series of systematic reviews
Authors: Martin, A.F; Smith, L; Rubin, J; Stein, M.V; Brooks, S.K; Davies, R; Marteau, T.M; Greenberg, N; Amlôt, R.

Additional research conducted by the UKHSA Behavioural Science and Insights Unit on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and wellbeing includes exploring experiences of homeworking amongst response-focused UK civil servants and the use of online support groups for Long Covid.

Experiences of Homeworking (part of Charlotte Hall's UKHSA PhD):
"We're all in the same storm, but not all of us are in the same boat": qualitative exploration of UK response-focused civil servants’ experiences of working from home during COVID-19
Authors: Hall, C.E; Brooks, S.K.; Greenberg, N; Weston, D.

Experiences of working from home: umbrella review
Authors: Hall, C.E; Brooks, S.K; Mills, F; Greenberg, N; Weston, D.

The relationship between homeworking during the COVID-19 and both, mental health and productivity: a systematic review
Authors: Hall, C.E; Davidson, L; Brooks, S.K; Greenberg, N; Weston, D.

UK Government COVID-19 Response Employees' Perceptions of Working from Home
Authors: Hall, C.E; Brooks, S.K; Greenberg, N; Weston, D.

Experiences of Using Online Support Groups for Long Covid (part of Freya Mills' UKHSA PhD):
A mixed studies systematic review on the health and wellbeing effects, and underlying mechanisms, of online support groups for chronic conditions
Authors: Mills, F; Drury, J; Hall, C.E; Weston, D; Symons, C; Amlôt, R; Carter, H.

Online support groups, social identity and the health and wellbeing of adults with Long Covid
Authors: Mills, F; Drury, J; Symons, C; Weston, D; Amlôt, R; Carter, H.

Social Identity Processes within Online Support Groups for People with Long Covid: A Longitudinal Survey
Authors: Mills, F; Drury, J; Symons, C; Weston, D; Amlôt, R; Carter, H.

Applying the Social Identity Approach to Leadership of Online Support Groups for Long Covid
Authors: Mills, F; Drury, J; Weston, D; Symons, D; Amlôt, R; Carter, H.

Rapid Review of Existing Evidence

woman self isolating
Isolation and Wellbeing (Image source:free)

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