The nurse’s role in social isolation

Abstract

Introduction: social isolation is a complex, multi-causal phenomenon characterized by a state of involuntary and unwanted loneliness, whose incidence in developed countries has been increasing in recent years. Social isolation compromises people’s physical and mental health, as well as their functioning and quality of life, increasing morbidity and mortality. Objective: to explore in depth the conceptualization, approach and clinical and health implications of social isolation. Material and methods: an exhaustive search and literature review was carried out in the PubMed, LILACS and CUIDEN databases using controlled vocabulary. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used for the selection of documents, choosing those of special relevance or usefulness according to the study aims. Results: the different assessment instruments in care settings, risk factors, consequences for health and psychological well-being, and the nursing interventions available to reduce it were identified. Among the available interventions, the literature highlights the promotion of socialization, behaviour modification and cognitive restructuring. The use of digital technologies has become established as an effective resource during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Discussion and recommendations: the fight against social isolation is a major challenge facing health systems in the coming years. However, the implementation of effective interventions is still scarce, so it must be strengthened, starting with assessment and prevention, especially in at-risk populations such as the elderly, the chronically ill and people with disabilities.