COVID-19 and its related stigma: A qualitative study among survivors in Kampala, Uganda.

Abstract

COVID-19-related stigma is gradually becoming a global problem among COVID-19 survivors with deleterious effects on quality of life. However, this social problem has received little attention in research and policy. This study aimed at exploring the COVID-19-related stigma among survivors in Kampala, Uganda. A cross-sectional exploratory research design was used among COVID-19 survivors in Kampala district. Thirty COVID-19 survivors were examined using in-depth interviews. Data obtained were analyzed using thematic approach. The findings of study indicated that COVID-19-related stigma is prevalent. The common form of stigma was social rejection and labeling. Results showed that the survivors of COVID-19 pandemic faced social rejection and community ostracism. Based on the results, reducing stigmatization of the COVID-19 survivors is vital to control the spread of the pandemic. Thus, an all-inclusive effort is needed to address COVID-19-related stigma and its debilitating consequences by health workers and policymakers.

Community-Level Experiences, Understandings, and Responses to COVID-19 in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review of Qualitative and Ethnographic Studies

“…Most studies in this review observed the psychosocial and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in LMIC communities around the world [57][58][59][60]63,64,[66][67][68]71,78,80]. The public health literature on pandemics and epidemics of infectious origin is rife with accounts of how these catastrophic disruptions to ordinary life are met by disarray and uncertainty, spawning fear and heightened anxiety [19,20] and often resulting in marginalization and stigma, as communities grapple with unknowns and avoid risks [8,[100][101][102][103][104].…”

“…The physical quarantining and isolation of suspected or confirmed patients as a means of reducing transmission and mitigating COVID-19 s effects in the community had the unfortunate side effect of generating stigma, discrimination, labeling, and social rejection from the community and families, and on occasion, from healthcare providers [57,60,80]. Actual and symbolic labeling of the houses of quarantined patients, regardless of diagnosis, resulted in protracted avoidance and stigma.…”

“…Unlike other pandemics of periodic or routine incidence, such as cholera or dengue, the unknown and ontologically insecure place of COVID-19 instills a fear and reflex of rejection when confronted with symbolic labels, such as "containment home", that inevitably result in social ostracization. Ugandans and Ghanaians, still smarting from the relatively recent stigmatizing outbreaks of SARS and Ebola [102,112], also experienced taunting, shunning, and social rejection through labeling practices [57,60]. "Corona families" were unable to shop in their usual markets, being thrown out or physically excluded by vendors [60].…”

Frontline Nurses’ Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Associated Predictive Factors During the Second Wave of COVID-19 in Central, Uganda

“…The central region is the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic with the highest cases of infections, deaths, and recovery. 20 The nurses in the region may be working with critical patients and thus susceptible to PTSD.…”

“…Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ugandan healthcare system was already under severe strain due to a lack of human resources, poor working conditions, and poor management. 20 At the center of these challenges are nurses, the backbone of the health system and the first point of call for patients. COVID-19 pandemic may have worsened the situation in the country.…”