GLOBAL PSYCHIATRY

Abstract

Background: Stigma towards the patient of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been reported in various media reports, including negative behaviour among health care workers (HCWs) towards COVID-19 patients. Moreover, the negative behaviour of HCWs towards COVID-19 patients could affect the professional quality of life of these HCWs.
Objective: We aimed to assess stigma related to COVID-19 patients among HCWs and explore its impact on their professional quality of life during COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal.
Methods: An online cross-sectional study was carried out among 421 HCWs (health assistants 35.6%, nurses 33%, doctors 23.3% and paramedics 8.1%), 52.7% female, working in health facilities in Nepal. The measures included background characteristics, stigma in terms of - discrimination towards COVID-19 patients, acceptance of COVID-19 patients and fear of COVID-19, and professional quality of life in terms of - work satisfaction, burnout and fatigue. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilised to analyze the data in SPSSvs20.
Results: While around two-third of the study participants showed discriminating attitude towards COVID-19, a half showed negative attitude towards acceptance of COVID-19 patients, and a fifth reported attitude of fear of COVID-19.
Multivariable regression analysis indicated that while presence of fear of COVID-19 was associated with low satisfaction, low burnout, and low fatigue; attitude of acceptance of COVID-19 patients was associated with low burnout and low fatigue; and attitude of discrimination towards COVID-19 patients was associated with only low satisfaction.
Conclusion: Strategies directed towards - reducing fear and discrimination towards COVID-19 patients, and enhancing positive attitude of acceptance towards COVID-19 patients among HCWs, and thus, creating enabling environment for reducing their burnout and fatigue, and increasing work satisfaction are recommended.