A Qualitative Study on Stigmatisation Associated with COVID-19: An
Iranian Experience
Abstract
Background: The social stigma associated with a disease represents an
important issue for health policymakers at the local, national, and
international levels. This study aimed to survay and analyze the
experience of stigma among patients with coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) in Iran. Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was
conducted from September to December 2020 in the Fars, Khorasan, and
Yazd provinces of Iran. Sampling was done via the snowball method; based
on data saturation criteria, 24 adults over 18 years of age who had
experienced affliction with COVID-19 were recruited. Semi-structured
telephone interviews were conducted with each patient. Data were
analyzed following the conventional content analysis method described by
Erlingsson and Brysiewicz. Results: The results showed that during their
affliction with COVID-19, the participants experienced difficult,
anxious times, with rejection and alienation from their first-degree
relatives taking them by surprise. The three main themes extracted from
this study were (i) fear and rejection, (ii) discrimination, and (iii)
loneliness. These experiences have changed the attitudes of the
participants toward life and themselves. Conclusion: Based on our
results, it can be said that paying attention to social stigma among
patients during pandemics is an important social necessity and health
policy. It is recommended to have psychological counseling sessions for
those afflicted and to provide education and training to the public
regarding the proper treatment of patients with COVID-19. Quantitative
studies in this field are highly recommended.