The purpose of this study was to explore the psychologic impact of contact isolation on patients in Singapore who were infected or colonized with multidrug-resistant organisms. Twenty cases were compared with 20 controls for their anxiety and depressive symptoms. Cases reported significantly higher levels of depression (t = 3.731, P < .01) and anxiety (t = 4.841, P < .001) compared with the controls. Hospitals need to develop policies and interventions to address the psychologic impact of contact isolation.
Keywords: Anxiety; Contact precautions; Depression; Stress appraisal.
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