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. 2021 Jan-Jun;30(1):118-122.
doi: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_13_21. Epub 2021 Jun 17.

Perceived stigma among the patients of coronavirus disease-19 admitted at a dedicated COVID-19 hospital in Northern India: A cross-sectional study

Arun Kumar Yadav  1 , Vishal Mangal  2 , Ravi Devarakonda  1 , Kalpana Srivastava  3
Affiliations

Perceived stigma among the patients of coronavirus disease-19 admitted at a dedicated COVID-19 hospital in Northern India: A cross-sectional study

Arun Kumar Yadav et al. Ind Psychiatry J. 2021 Jan-Jun.

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease-related stigma started early in the pandemic with multiple media reports highlighting the discriminatory practices toward the health-care workers, patients, and survivors.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a designated COVID -19 hospital in Delhi from 22 October 20 to 21 November 20. All patients admitted to the hospital for more than 72 h were eligible for participation in the study. Anyone without a mobile phone and not able to read was excluded from the study. The data were collected using a pretested, prevalidated questionnaire.

Results: One hundred and twenty-two (92.4%) patients answered the questionnaire. All patients were male. A total of 54 (44.26%: 95% confidence interval [CI] 35.3-53.5) COVID-19 patients blamed themselves for getting the infection, compared to 68 (55.74% 95% CI: 46.5-64.7) patients who believed that acquiring the disease was not their fault. There was a statistically significant association between feeling ashamed and blaming themselves for COVID-19 (P = 0.046). A total of 19 (15.6%) have reported that they have been told that getting COVID-19 is your fault.

Conclusion: The stigma related to COVID - 19 needs to be tackled with multipronged strategy. In India, it is not a routine to assess mental health; however, the current pandemic has brought forward the importance of stigma and other related issues during the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; cross-sectional study; inpatients; social stigma.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

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