isolement

Isolement is a term used in sociology, public health, and medicine to denote a state of separation from others or from contact with a source. It can refer to social isolation, geographic isolation, or health-related isolation.

In medical contexts, isolement describes measures to prevent transmission of infectious diseases. Hospital guidelines distinguish standard precautions from transmission-based precautions. Standard precautions apply to all patient care. Transmission-based precautions include contact, droplet, and airborne isolation, with specific personal protective equipment and room requirements. Protective or reverse isolation may be used to protect immunocompromised patients.

Geographic or social isolement arises when individuals or communities have limited access to social networks, services, or opportunities due to distance, geography, or social barriers. Consequences include loneliness, reduced access to care, and adverse health outcomes. Vulnerable groups include the elderly, people with disabilities, migrants, and residents of remote areas.

In public health, isolement is linked to policy and ethics. Isolation may be voluntary or mandated, with attention to rights and dignity. It differs from quarantine, which applies to those who may have been exposed but are not ill. Digital technologies and community programs are used to reduce isolation by maintaining social connections, providing remote services, and delivering essential resources.

See also social isolation, quarantine, infectious disease control, patient isolation.