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Meta-Analysis
. 2021 Jun 8;18(12):6183.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18126183.

Stigmatization from Work-Related COVID-19 Exposure: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Melanie Schubert  1 , Julia Ludwig  2 , Alice Freiberg  1 , Taurai Monalisa Hahne  3 , Karla Romero Starke  1   4 , Maria Girbig  1 , Gudrun Faller  5 , Christian Apfelbacher  3 , Olaf von dem Knesebeck  2 , Andreas Seidler  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Stigmatization from Work-Related COVID-19 Exposure: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Melanie Schubert et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Stigmatization from work-related COVID-19 exposure has not been investigated in detail yet. Therefore, we systematically searched three databases: Medline, Embase, and PsychInfo (until October 2020), and performed a grey literature search (until February 2021). We identified 46 suitable articles from 24 quantitative and 11 qualitative studies, 6 systematic reviews, 3 study protocols and 1 intervention. The assessment of stigmatization varied widely, ranging from a single-item question to a 22-item questionnaire. Studies mostly considered perceived self-stigma (27 of 35 original studies) in healthcare workers (HCWs) or hospital-related jobs (29 of 35). All articles reported on stigmatization as a result of work-related COVID-19 exposure. However, most quantitative studies were characterized by convenience sampling (17 of 24), and all studies-also those with an adequate sampling design-were considered of low methodological quality. Therefore, it is not possible to determine prevalence of stigmatization in defined occupational groups. Nevertheless, the work-related stigmatization of occupational groups with or without suspected contact to COVID-19 is a relevant problem and increases the risk for depression (odds ratio (OR) = 1.74; 95% confidence interval CI 1.29-2.36) and anxiety (OR = 1.75; 95% CI 1.29-2.37). For promoting workers' health, anti-stigma strategies and support should be implemented in the workplace.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV2; bullying; corona; discrimination; healthcare workers; nursing; stigma; work.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
PRISMA flow diagram. Adapted from: Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, the PRISMA Group (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. PLoS Med 6(6): e1000097, doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed1000097.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Risk of depression (A) and anxiety (B) in association with work-related stigmatization from COVID-19 exposure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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