Stigmatization experiences of healthcare workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review.

Publication date: Jul 17, 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers face the stigmatization of those caring for COVID-19 patients, creating a significant social problem. Therefore, this study investigated the stigmatization of healthcare workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this scoping review study, searches were conducted from December 2019 to August 2023 in Persian and English using various databases and search engines including PubMed (Medline), Embase, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, ProQuest, Science Direct, Springer, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and national databases. The study used English keywords such as Social Stigma, Health Personnel, Healthcare Worker, Medical Staff, Medical Personal, Physicians, doctors, Nurses, nursing staff, COVID-19, and coronavirus disease 2019, and their Persian equivalents, and their Persian equivalents to explore healthcare workers’ experiences of COVID-19-related stigma. From a total of 12,200 search results, 77 eligible studies were included in this study. stigmatization of healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients was evident from the literature because of fear, misinformation, and negative self-image. Manifestations were violence and deprivation of social rights, resulting in adverse biopsychosocial, occupational, and economic consequences. This condition can affect negatively health staff themselves, their families, and society as well. Anti-stigmatization measures include informing society about the realities faced by healthcare workers, presenting an accurate and empathetic image of health workers, providing psychosocial support to health workers, and encouraging them to turn to spirituality as a coping mechanism. There are notable research gaps in comprehending the phenomenon, exploring its variations across diverse healthcare roles and cultural contexts, examining its long-term effects, and monitoring shifts in stigma perceptions over time. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the stigmatization of healthcare workers, causing mistreatment and rights violations. This stigma persists even post-pandemic, posing a psychological dilemma for caregivers. Addressing this requires comprehensive strategies, including tailored stigma prevention programs and research to understand its psychological impact.

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Concepts	Keywords
Google	COVID-19
Nurses	COVID-19
Pandemic	Health Personnel
Persian	Health Workers
	Humans
	Pandemics
	SARS-CoV-2
	Social Stigma
	Stereotyping
	Stigma

Semantics

Type	Source	Name
disease	MESH	COVID-19 pandemic
disease	MESH	social problem
disease	MESH	Social Stigma
drug	DRUGBANK	Etoperidone
disease	MESH	violence
disease	VO	time
drug	DRUGBANK	Trestolone
drug	DRUGBANK	Coenzyme M
disease	MESH	infectious diseases
disease	MESH	burnout
drug	DRUGBANK	L-Phenylalanine
disease	IDO	history
disease	VO	effective
disease	VO	Gap
disease	IDO	intervention
disease	VO	population
disease	IDO	process
disease	VO	publication
disease	IDO	country
drug	DRUGBANK	Indoleacetic acid
disease	VO	Canada
disease	MESH	bullying
disease	MESH	mental disorders
disease	MESH	PTSD
disease	MESH	communication disorders
disease	VO	protocol
drug	DRUGBANK	Dimercaprol
disease	IDO	contagiousness
disease	MESH	plague
disease	MESH	yellow fever
disease	MESH	influenza
disease	MESH	emerging infectious diseases
disease	MESH	loneliness
drug	DRUGBANK	Pentaerythritol tetranitrate
disease	VO	organization
disease	VO	effectiveness
drug	DRUGBANK	Tropicamide
disease	MESH	Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
disease	MESH	Emergency
disease	MESH	Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
disease	MESH	hepatitis
disease	MESH	smallpox
disease	MESH	Psychological distress
drug	DRUGBANK	Creatinolfosfate
drug	DRUGBANK	L-Leucine
disease	VO	age
drug	DRUGBANK	Isoxaflutole
disease	MESH	AIDS
drug	DRUGBANK	Sulpiride
disease	MESH	morbidity
disease	MESH	compassion fatigue
drug	DRUGBANK	Dansyllysine
disease	MESH	infection

Original Article

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