Association between isolation room admission in intensive care units and long-term psychiatric disorders: a nationwide cohort study

ICU admission to a single-bed isolation room showed a small yet consistent association with post-ICU psychiatric morbidity, mainly depression. Given the minimal absolute difference and observational design, causality cannot be inferred. Nevertheless, isolation represents a potentially modifiable environmental exposure that warrants further confirmatory and mechanistic research, as well as pragmatic evaluation of mitigation strategies such as improved communication, family engagement, and circadian cueing.