Disclosure experience among COVID-19-confirmed patients in China: A qualitative study.
Wenxiu Sun, Ying Zhou, Wei-Ti Chen and 9 others
PMID 33349988WHAT IT FOUND
COVID-19 patients told family about their diagnosis but feared stigma.
After disclosure they reported support, discrimination, privacy exposure, distress, and self-isolation.
Key findings
01All 26 participants disclosed their diagnosis to family members, while fewer disclosed to community, workplace colleagues, close friends, or children's schools.
02Government policy was the most mentioned reason for disclosure.
03Fear of stigma and discrimination was an important reason for non-disclosure, and most participants reported stigma and discrimination after disclosure.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was small: only 26 patients were interviewed, and the authors state they cannot represent all COVID-infected patients in China or globally. All participants were cared for at one designated hospital in Shanghai, a metropolitan area with more resources, and Chinese policies may not apply elsewhere. Participants were relatively young, from 19 to 56 years old, which may bias the findings. The authors note possible bias from interviewer ability, coding, and analysis, although they trained researchers and used consensus coding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that disclosure causes stigma or that nurses asking about disclosure will improve outcomes. The study interviewed 26 patients and did not test an intervention.