SynthesisPloS one2023
In-hospital stress and patient outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 30 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
30 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effectiveness of different digital interventions on symptoms for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a network meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Safety and efficacy of radial access versus femoral access for rotational atherectomy: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of cardiothoracic surgery · 2025Pooled it
- Hospital Care at Home for Adults Living in Rural Settings: A Qualitative Evaluation.The Journal of rural health : official journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association · 2026Trial
- How do discrepancies between self-rated and physical health predict self-reported overnight hospitalizations in later life?British journal of health psychology · 2026Observational
- In-hospital psychological stress and post-hospital outcomes.Journal of health psychology · 2026Article
- The Relationship Between Loneliness and Geriatric Feelings of Burdensomeness in Hospitalized Older Adults.Journal of evaluation in clinical practice · 2026Article
- The Spiritual Comfort Index (SCI): A Pilot Study Toward Establishing a Spiritual Vital Sign in the United States.Journal of religion and health · 2026Article
- Pilot of a novel patient-led intervention for postdischarge from hospital management of older patients' care in general practice.Family medicine and community health · 2026Article
- The 'Hippocratic Oath' for AI-based clinical decision support systems.BMC medical informatics and decision making · 2026Article
- The Effect of COVID-19 on Length of Stay in Hospital and Patient Population Following Burn Injury.Journal of burn care & research : official publication of the American Burn Association · 2026Article
- School Performance and Learning Challenges in Children and Adolescents with Congenital Heart Disease.Pediatric cardiology · 2026Review
- Differences in Pain Management Strategies Between Mobile and Immobile Hospitalized Patients: A Real-World Data Analysis.Pain research & management · 2026Article
- An overview of the benefits of animal-assisted interventions in medical and therapeutic contexts for human health: cognitive mechanisms, sensory perception and welfare considerations.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2026Review
- The Impact of Stress on the Functioning and Survival of Transplanted Kidneys-Biological Mechanisms, Clinical Implications, and Therapeutic Perspectives.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Perceived social support and psychological resilience as mediators between social frailty and the frailty of older patients with heart failure: a cross-sectional study.BioPsychoSocial medicine · 2025Article
- Breathwork for Chronic Stress and Mental Health: Does Choosing a Specific Technique Matter?Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Evaluating older adults' satisfaction with age-friendly hospitals services: insights from an Eastern Taiwan regional teaching hospital.BMC geriatrics · 2025Article
- Tactile and olfactory stimulation reduce anxiety and enhance autonomic balance: a multisensory approach for healthcare settings.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- The impact of depression and associated anxiety symptoms on clinical outcomes in elderly inpatients with digestive system diseases in Southwest China: a retrospective cohort study.BMC psychiatry · 2025Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundHospital inpatients are exposed to high levels of stress during hospitalisation that may increase susceptibility to major adverse health events post-hospitalisation (known as post-hospital syndrome). However, the existing evidence base has not been reviewed and the magnitude of this relationship remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of the current systematic review and meta-analysis was to: 1) synthesise existing evidence and to determine the strength of the relationship between in-hospital stress and patient outcomes, and 2) determine if this relationship differs between (i) in-hospital vs post-hospital outcomes, and (ii) subjective vs objective outcome measures.
methodsA systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science from inception to February 2023 was conducted. Included studies reported a measure of perceived and appraised stress while in hospital, and at least one patient outcome. A random-effects model was generated to pool correlations (Pearson's r), followed by sub-group and sensitivity analyses. The study protocol was preregistered on PROSPERO (CRD42021237017).
resultsA total of 10 studies, comprising 16 effects and 1,832 patients, satisfied the eligibility criteria and were included. A small-to-medium association was found: as in-hospital stress increased, patient outcomes deteriorated (r = 0.19; 95% CI: 0.12-0.26; I2 = 63.6; p < 0.001). This association was significantly stronger for (i) in-hospital versus post-hospital outcomes, and (ii) subjective versus objective outcome measures. Sensitivity analyses indicated that our findings were robust.
conclusionsHigher levels of psychological stress experienced by hospital inpatients are associated with poorer patient outcomes. However, more high-quality, larger scale studies are required to better understand the association between in-hospital stressors and adverse outcomes.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.