Experiences of COVID-19-Related Stigma: A Qualitative Study on Nurses Caring for Patients With COVID-19

Healthcare workers caring for patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been a primary target of stigmatization and discrimination during the COVID-19 outbreak. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop a support system for Asian healthcare workers who care for patients with COVID-19.

This study was designed to understand the characteristics of COVID-19-related stigma experienced by nurses caring for patients with COVID-19.

A qualitative content analysis methodology was used. This study was conducted between April 2020 and March 2021. The participants were 10 female registered nurses working at three medical facilities that accepted patients with COVID-19. The data included specific narratives on the instances of stigma experienced when caring for patients with COVID-19, including connected situations and ideas. The data were collected using focus group interviews with three or four participants in each group. Data analysis was conducted based on the inductive qualitative analysis approach of Krippendorff.

The content analysis identified two categories and seven subcategories of stigma experienced by clinical nurses. The category "directly experienced prejudice and discrimination" included the subcategories "being avoided," "being treated as dirty," "discrimination toward family members," and "others prying." The category "self-imposed coping behavior" included the subcategories "keeping oneself apart," "feeling guilty," and "nondisclosure."

The participants internalized their experiences of stigma, as Japanese culture emphasizes keeping such things to oneself. Therefore, there is an urgent need to strengthen the support system for nurses who care for patients with COVID-19. This study addressed the problem of the stigmatization of these nurses and their families by others as well as their colleagues. The main findings were that stigma was directly experienced as discrimination and prejudice and often resulted in self-imposed coping behavior. The major implication of these findings is the need to establish systematic, active, and ongoing organizational support programs for nurses who are discriminated against because of COVID-19-related stigma.