Association between depression and contact precautions in veterans at hospital admission

Contact Precautions (CP) have been associated with depression and anxiety. We enrolled 103 patients on admission to a VA hospital and administered the Hospital Depression and Anxiety Scale (HADS). The mean unadjusted HADS score was 10% higher in patients on CP (14.3 vs 13.0; P = .47), and the association was stronger after adjusting for other variables (mean difference, 2.2; P = .21). Although underpowered, in the largest study to date, patients on CP tended toward more depression and anxiety.