Abstract
Background and Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore discrimination among medical professionals in association with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: Participants were nursing professionals working in 20 acute hospitals located in Kanto and various other eastern prefectures in Japan. Participants completed an anonymous survey consisting of questions in both optional and open-ended formats. Statistical analyses included binomial logistic regression analysis (bLRA) and free-description co-occurring network analysis (CONA).
Results and discussion: A total of 3,116 nursing professionals completed the survey. Based on the results from bLRA, participants in their 30s (odds ratio [OR] = 2.03, p<0.05), working in respiratory wards (OR =2.24, p<0.05) and those who had experience in caring for COVID-19 patients (OR=1.86, p<0.05) were approximately twice as susceptible to discrimination compared to participants without these characteristics. Considering the results from CONA, most participants reported that they experienced that patients were grateful. However, contrary to our expectations, several participants also reported to have experienced heartless discrimination from doctors and other staff working at the same hospitals. In contrast, varying situations were reported considering the neighborhoods of the hospitals. While at hospitals themselves, participants reported to have been targets of stigmatized discrimination, and various forms of discrimination were reported to have occurred at nursery schools and kindergartens, frequent signs and letters of gratitude have been provided by elementary and junior high schools. The latter might reflect a different form of awareness at schools, given that measures against bullying in the educational context are taken on a daily basis.
Conclusion: Based on the present analyses, organized responses within hospitals and administrative responses related to nursery schools and kindergartens might be essential in times of crisis.
