Loneliness among physicians: A narrative and bibliometric analysis of an emerging public health crisis
Keywords:
public health crisis, narrative synthesis, bibliometric analysis, healthcare system, COVID-19, mental health, professional isolation, burnout, physicians, lonelinessAbstract
Introduction: Loneliness among physicians is emerging as a critical yet understudied public health issue. Traditionally associated with resilience and competence, the medical profession now faces a hidden epidemic of professional and emotional isolation, exacerbated by systemic dysfunctions and amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. This scoping review aims to conceptually and bibliometrically map the current scientific literature on physicians’ loneliness, investigating its multidimensional nature, clinical impact, systemic roots, and potential as a latent public health crisis. Methods: A systematic scoping review was conducted using Scopus and Google Scholar, with searches centered on the term “loneliness” and extended to related concepts, including burnout, professional isolation, and depression in physicians. Articles published between 2014 and 2025 were screened. Results: The findings reveal that physicians experience a unique form of loneliness rooted in institutional fragmentation, emotional suppression, work overload, and disrupted peer networks. Key themes include stigma around mental vulnerability, systemic bureaucratization, and decreased empathy, leading to burnout, impaired decision-making, and reduced care quality. Bibliometric mapping showed four major conceptual clusters: psychological/emotional impact, systemic barriers, methodological consolidation, and educational shortcomings. The centrality of the term “loneliness” in the network suggests its epistemic importance, yet also exposes a gap: few studies focus explicitly on healthcare professionals as a distinct subgroup. Conclusions: Physicians’ loneliness represents more than an individual emotional state—it is a systemic indicator of relational and institutional breakdown within healthcare. This condition, if unaddressed, may evolve into a public health crisis marked by clinician attrition, diminished care quality, and organizational instability. Policies must shift from treating symptoms (e.g., depression or burnout) to addressing upstream relational and systemic causes. Proactive organizational interventions, relational audits, and mental health support programs must be integrated into health systems to safeguard both clinicians and patients.
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