Medical Science
Volume 24, Issue 105, September - October, 2020
Social stigma associated with COVID-19 infection in Saudi Arabia: A population based study
Ahmed M. El-Malky1,2,3, Haya J. Albalawi4, Talal A. Alotaibi5, Abdullah I. Alamoudi6, Dhari A. Aldhafeeri7, Khlood A. Alshammari8, Afnan A. Alshammari9, Turki I. Al-khalaf10, Fayez El Shaer11
1PhD, MPH, CPHQ, TQM, Mb.Bch. Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Academy
of Scientific Research, Ministry of Higher Education, Cairo, Egypt
2Morbidity and Mortality Review Unit, Deputy Supervisor, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
3Research Chair of Evidence-Based Healthcare and Knowledge Translation, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia. Email: aelmalky@ksu.edu.sa
4Undergraduate student, College of medicine, Tabuk University, Saudi Arabia; Email: hayaalbalawi9@gmail.com
5MSc, Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, University of Hail, Hail, Saudi Arabia, Email: taotiabi@gmail.com
6MBBS, Emergency Medicine resident, King Fahad Hospital, Alkhobar, Saudi Arabia, Email: Abdullah10014@hotmail.com
7MBBS, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Medical Intern at Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Saudi Arabia, Email:
Alshbel@outlook.com
8Undergraduate student, College of Medicine, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia, Email: k-freedom@hotmail.com
9Undergraduate students, Respiratory Care Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jubail, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal
University-Dammam, Saudi Arabia; Email: kitkatm2009@gmail.com
10Undergraduate medical student, Jordan University of science and technology, Irbid- Jordan, Email: Turki.khalaf93@gmail.com
11Consultant Cardiology, Associate Professor, Cardiology Department, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh Saudi Arabia, Email:
felshaer@ksu.edu.sa
ABSTRACT
Background: Saudi Arabia is one of the nations impacted by the epidemic of COVID-19. Objectives: To address psycho-behavioral
problems to the pandemic of COVID-19 in the whole population of Saudi Arabia, namely: 1) obstacles to infection control measures
against COVID infections; 2) adverse responses to COVID-19; and 3) fear among the general population in Saudi Arabia. Methods: An
electronic population based cross sectional survey using a validated electronic questionnaire was performed between 23 July and 1
August 2020. Among the whole estimated target population of COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia. Using multi-stage random
sampling technique all over the governorates. The six-item variant of the State-Trait-Anxiety-Stock (STAS-6) was used to measure
rates of anxiety. Estimated target population of 67,000 Covid-19 patients according to last national report of MOH. A multi stage
sampling from different affected governorates. Sample size was calculated using Steven Sampthon formula to be 2230 patient.
Sample was collected from MOH electronic registries approved by the ethical committee of KSUMC # (78/82/KSUMC/IRB-COVID-
3792). Results: A total of 1,800 full replies have been received. Almost 60 percent reported having trouble wearing a face mask to
guard against COVID infection. The mean and standard deviation (SD) for the overall avoidance obstacle value was 35.8 (SD ± 7.1;
scale 18 to 68) out of a maximum 72. Male respondents [odds ratio (OR) = 1.25; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.03 to 1.51] and many
respondents who regarded their health condition as poor / fair (OR = 1.49; 95 % CI 1.31 to 1.82) were indicators of Strong obstacles
to avoidance. Negative feelings such as anxiety (74.6%), accompanied by sadness (43.4%) and stigma (23.0%) correlated with SARSCoV-
2 infection has been identified. The addressing groups that their wellbeing was viewed as poor / fair (OR = 2.19; 95 % CI 1.57 to
3.04) and a higher risk was recorded to get more depressive feelings. Anxiety rating results showed 68.0 per cent (95 per cent CI 65.8
to 65.8 per cent). (70.1) mild to extreme anxiety recorded. Participants who see their well-being as poor / fair (OR = 3.46; 95% CI
12.22 to 5.40) and who were female (OR = 1.91; 95 % CI 1.55 to 2.36) were female; predictors with mild to extreme fear. Conclusion:
Psycho behavioral measures are expected to promote the management and monitoring of the epidemic of COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19, anxiety, Saudi Arabia, psycho-behavioral
Medical Science, 2020, 24(105), 3427-3437
