Social Distancing and Isolation Strategies to Prevent and Control the Transmission of COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases in Care Homes for Older People: An International Review

Sarah Sims; Ruth Harris; Shereen Hussein; Anne Marie Rafferty; Amit Desai; Sinead Palmer; Sally Brearley; Richard Adams; Lindsay Rees; Joanne M. Fitzpatrick

doi:10.3390/ijerph19063450

Social Distancing and Isolation Strategies to Prevent and Control the Transmission of COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases in Care Homes for Older People: An International Review

Sarah Sims, Ruth Harris, Shereen Hussein, Anne Marie Rafferty, Amit Desai, Sinead Palmer, Sally Brearley, Richard Adams, Lindsay Rees, Joanne M. Fitzpatrick^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

148 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Older people living in care homes are at high risk of poor health outcomes and mortality if they contract COVID-19 or other infectious diseases. Measures used to protect residents include social distancing and isolation, although implementation is challenging. This review aimed to assess the social distancing and isolation strategies used by care homes to prevent and control the transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Seven electronic databases were searched: Medline, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, HMIC, Social Care Online, and Web of Science Core Collection. Grey literature was searched using MedRxiv, PDQ-Evidence, NICE Evidence Search, LTCCovid19.org and TRIP. Extracted data were synthesised using narrative synthesis and tabulation. 103 papers were included (10 empirical studies, seven literature reviews, and 86 policy documents). Strategies used to prevent and control the transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases included social distancing and isolation of residents and staff, zoning and cohorting of residents, restriction of resident movement/activities, restriction of visitors and restriction of staff working patterns. This review demonstrates a lack of empirical evidence and the limited nature of policy documentation around social distancing and isolation measures in care homes. Evaluative research on these interventions is needed urgently, focusing on the well-being of all residents, particularly those with hearing, vision or cognitive impairments.

Original language	English
Article number	3450
Journal	International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume	19
Issue number	6
Early online date	15 Mar 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063450
Publication status	Published - 15 Mar 2022

Keywords

Care homes
COVID-19
Infection prevention and control
Isolation
Older people
Social distancing

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.3390/ijerph19063450

Social Distancing and Isolation_SIMS_Published online 15 Mar 22_GOLD VoR (CC BY)Final published version, 541 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Sims, S., Harris, R., Hussein, S., Rafferty, A. M., Desai, A., Palmer, S., Brearley, S., Adams, R., Rees, L., & Fitzpatrick, J. M. (2022). Social Distancing and Isolation Strategies to Prevent and Control the Transmission of COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases in Care Homes for Older People: An International Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(6), Article 3450. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063450

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abstract = "Older people living in care homes are at high risk of poor health outcomes and mortality if they contract COVID-19 or other infectious diseases. Measures used to protect residents include social distancing and isolation, although implementation is challenging. This review aimed to assess the social distancing and isolation strategies used by care homes to prevent and control the transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Seven electronic databases were searched: Medline, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, HMIC, Social Care Online, and Web of Science Core Collection. Grey literature was searched using MedRxiv, PDQ-Evidence, NICE Evidence Search, LTCCovid19.org and TRIP. Extracted data were synthesised using narrative synthesis and tabulation. 103 papers were included (10 empirical studies, seven literature reviews, and 86 policy documents). Strategies used to prevent and control the transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases included social distancing and isolation of residents and staff, zoning and cohorting of residents, restriction of resident movement/activities, restriction of visitors and restriction of staff working patterns. This review demonstrates a lack of empirical evidence and the limited nature of policy documentation around social distancing and isolation measures in care homes. Evaluative research on these interventions is needed urgently, focusing on the well-being of all residents, particularly those with hearing, vision or cognitive impairments.",

keywords = "Care homes, COVID-19, Infection prevention and control, Isolation, Older people, Social distancing",

author = "Sarah Sims and Ruth Harris and Shereen Hussein and Rafferty, {Anne Marie} and Amit Desai and Sinead Palmer and Sally Brearley and Richard Adams and Lindsay Rees and Fitzpatrick, {Joanne M.}",

note = "Funding Information: Funding: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme (Project Number: 132541) COVID-19 Recovery and Learning Programme. The views and opinions expressed therein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme or the Department of Health and Social Care. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.",

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Sims, S , Harris, R , Hussein, S , Rafferty, AM , Desai, A, Palmer, S, Brearley, S, Adams, R, Rees, L & Fitzpatrick, JM 2022, 'Social Distancing and Isolation Strategies to Prevent and Control the Transmission of COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases in Care Homes for Older People: An International Review', International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 6, 3450. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063450

Social Distancing and Isolation Strategies to Prevent and Control the Transmission of COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases in Care Homes for Older People: An International Review. / Sims, Sarah ; Harris, Ruth ; Hussein, Shereen et al.
In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 19, No. 6, 3450, 15.03.2022.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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AU - Sims, Sarah

AU - Harris, Ruth

AU - Hussein, Shereen

AU - Rafferty, Anne Marie

AU - Desai, Amit

AU - Palmer, Sinead

AU - Brearley, Sally

AU - Adams, Richard

AU - Rees, Lindsay

AU - Fitzpatrick, Joanne M.

N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme (Project Number: 132541) COVID-19 Recovery and Learning Programme. The views and opinions expressed therein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme or the Department of Health and Social Care. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

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Y1 - 2022/3/15

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KW - Care homes

KW - COVID-19

KW - Infection prevention and control

KW - Isolation

KW - Older people

KW - Social distancing

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U2 - 10.3390/ijerph19063450

DO - 10.3390/ijerph19063450

M3 - Article

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SN - 1661-7827

VL - 19

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Sims S , Harris R , Hussein S , Rafferty AM , Desai A, Palmer S et al. Social Distancing and Isolation Strategies to Prevent and Control the Transmission of COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases in Care Homes for Older People: An International Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022 Mar 15;19(6):3450. Epub 2022 Mar 15. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19063450

Social Distancing and Isolation Strategies to Prevent and Control the Transmission of COVID-19 and Other Infectious Diseases in Care Homes for Older People: An International Review

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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