A Study on Students’ Public Stigma of COVID-19 and Its Influencing Factors in The Context of The Long Term Handling of The COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: To understand the public stigma and associated factors of COVID-19 in Jingzhou adolescents relating to the prevention and containment of COVID-19 cases. Methods: From June to October 2021, an online survey was conducted in two junior high schools in Jingzhou City. A total of 2888 students participated in the survey, with 2800 being valid responses (effective rate 97.0%). The survey tools used the COVID-19 attitude questionnaire, and the related factors were analyzed by a stepwise multiple linear regression method. Results: 31.4% of the participants showed public stigma towards COVID-19, with a larger portion of those being in lower grades (P<0.01), only children (P<0.05), and those not quarantined during the outbreak (P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analyses showed higher levels of stress (P<0.01), lower levels of social support (P<0.05), younger age (P<0.01) and higher educational level of parents (P<0.05) during the pandemic correlated to stronger public stigma towards COVID-19. Conclusion: Participants' stigma of COVID-19 is widespread, and it is manifested in social isolation. The respondents’ level of stress and social support during the pandemic is shown to be linked to their degree of stigma. Methods for reducing this public stigma for COVID-19 may include stopping the spread of misinformation, providing psychological support, and alleviating negative emotions. Keywords: COVID-19, Adolescent, Student, Public Stigma.