ArticlePublic health2021
'Why are you not dead yet?' - dimensions and the main driving forces of stigma and discrimination among COVID-19 patients in Sri Lanka.
Article in Public health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- The scar that takes time to heal: A systematic review of COVID-19-related stigma targets, antecedents, and outcomes.Frontiers in psychology · 2022Pooled it
- Media portrayals and social stigma surrounding COVID-19 survivors: a content analysis of Chinese media coverage.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Comparative study of stigma and discrimination among vaccinated and non-vaccinated COVID-19 survivors in Bangladesh.BMC infectious diseases · 2025Article
- Psychosocial health stigma related to COVID-19 disease among COVID-19 patients in Jordan: a comparative study.BMJ public health · 2024Article
- Infodemic: Challenges and solutions in topic discovery and data process.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2023Article
- Social stigma during COVID-19: A systematic review.SAGE open medicine · 2023Review
- Article
- The perspectives of community members on COVID-19-related social stigma and mitigation strategies: A qualitative study in Madhya Pradesh, India.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2022Article
- Formation mechanism and governance strategies of stigma in public health emergencies: Based on event system theory.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesTo explore the experiences, and main driving forces of stigma and discrimination among COVID-19 patients, following hospital discharge, in Sri Lanka. STUDY
designA qualitative study was used in order to gain insight and explore the depth and complexity of COVID-19 patients' experiences.
methodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted via telephone in a purposively selected sample of 139 COVID-19 patients. Participants were interviewed during the first 3 weeks following discharge from four main state hospitals that were treating COVID-19 patients during the early phase of the pandemic. Questions on stigma and discrimination were open-ended, enabling patients to provide responses about their different experiences and settings; results were analysed using thematic analysis.
resultsThe majority of participants were men (n = 80; 57.6%), with a mean age of 43 years (SD = 11.2). In total, up to one-third of the study participants experienced stigma related to COVID-19 and were discriminated against by the community, co-workers and healthcare workers in Sri Lanka. Social discrimination included barriers in accessing basic needs, insulting, blaming, defaming, spreading rumours and receiving no support during emergencies. Workplace discrimination included loss of jobs, not allowing re-entry and loss of earnings due to self-employment. Discrimination by healthcare workers included breaching of confidentiality, lack of respect, not providing health services and communication barriers. Discrimination has led to social isolation, not seeking help and severe psychosocial issues impacting their family relationships. Irresponsible media reporting and sensationalism of news coverage leading to breaching of privacy and confidentiality, defaming, false allegations and reporting household details without consent were perceived as the main factors underlying the views and opinions of the general public.
conclusionsStigma and discrimination experienced by COVID-19 patients in society, workplaces and healthcare facilities have serious negative consequences at the individual and family level. Regulations on responsible media reporting, including an effective risk communication strategy to counteract its effects, are strongly recommended.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.