Public Stigma of COVID-19 and Its Correlates in the General Population of China

Tian-Ming Zhang, Qi Fang, Hao Yao and Mao-Sheng Ran
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Tian-Ming Zhang: Department of Social Work, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Qi Fang: School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
Hao Yao: Shanghai Clinical Research Center for Mental Health, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China
Mao-Sheng Ran: Department of Social Work and Social Administration, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-11

Abstract: This study aimed to examine the profile of COVID-19-related public stigma and its correlates in the general population of China. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in China from 7 May to 25 May in 2020. A total of 1212 participants from the general population completed the survey measuring their stigmatizing attitudes towards COVID-19, as well as knowledge and causal attributions of COVID-19. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the correlates of COVID-19-related public stigma. A total of 31.8% of participants endorsed stigmatization towards people with COVID-19. Those who were of older age (t = ?3.97, p < 0.001), married (F = 3.04, p < 0.05), had a lower level of education (F = 8.11, p < 0.001), and a serious psychological response (F = 3.76, p < 0.05) reported significantly higher scores of public stigma. Dangerousness ( B = 0.047, p < 0.001), fear ( B = 0.059, p < 0.001), anger ( B = 0.038, p < 0.01), and responsibility ( B = 0.041, p < 0.001) were positively associated with public stigma. This study shows that public stigma related to COVID-19 is prevalent in the general population of China. Actions against public stigma need to contain the spread of misinformation about COVID-19, alter inappropriate attributions, alleviate unfavorable reactions, and provide psychosocial support for the public.

Keywords: public stigma; COVID-19; correlates; attribution theory; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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