COVID-19 pandemic moral injury in healthcare professionals: a systematic review

Moral injury (MI) refers to psychological distress resulting from witnessing or participating in events which violate an individual's moral code. Originating from military experiences, the phenomenon also has relevance for healthcare professionals dealing with wars, natural disasters and infectious diseases. The deontological basis of medicine prioritises duty to the individual patient over duty to wider society. These values may place healthcare professionals at increased risk of moral injury, particularly in crisis contexts where they may be party to decisions to withdraw or divert care based on resource availability.

We conducted a systematic review of medical literature to understand the extent and clinical and socio-demographic correlates of moral injury during the COVID-19 pandemic.