COVID-19 Stigma: Are There Differences by Socio-Demographics Status?

EasyChair Preprint 9054

Abstract

COVID-19 cases are still relatively high in Indonesia. In the early days of the pandemic, the novelty of the virus, the related social restrictions, and the surge of information often caused misperception amongst communities, including on stigma. Objective: This study assessed the stigma and discriminatory behaviours against anyone perceived to have been in contact with the virus, particularly health-care workers. Methods: An online survey among health-care workers were conducted. We collected data from 305 respondents regarding stigma of COVID-19. Stigma scores were obtained by summation of 7 questions regarding stigma (range 0-7). Descriptive analyses were conducted to assess differences in level of stigma by different socio-demographic characteristics. Results: There were 32.9% of respondents with stigma score >= 6, mean stigma scores were 4.4 (s.d. 0.1). These includes questions on whether confirmed cases are those ignoring prevention protocol, perceived to hide their status, and needs to be isolated away from communities. There were differences by age, with older respondents had higher stigma score. Significant differences were also observed by education and educational background, with respondent of lower or non-health educational background or had higher stigma score. Conclusions: Prevalence of stigma were relatively high (more than 30%), with differences by socio-demographics background. Elderly, and people of low or non-health education had higher stigma scores. Hence, health education to reduce stigma is particularly important for this subpopulation.

Keywords: stigma, healthcare workers, socio-demographics

Keyphrases: Healthcare workers, socio-demographics, stigma

@booklet{EasyChair:9054,
  author    = {Vitri Widyaningsih and Ratih Puspita Febrinasari and Eti Poncorini Pamungkasari and Sumardiyono Sumardiyono and Sri Mulyani and Victoria Husadani Permata Sari and Lely Pangesti and Ari Probandari},
  title     = {COVID-19 Stigma: Are There Differences by Socio-Demographics Status?},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 9054},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2022}}