COVID-19-Related Stigma Among Older Adults Residing in the Rohingya Refugee Camps in Bangladesh

A. Anwar, U. N. Yadav, Md. Nazmul Huda, S. Ghimire, M. Rahman, A. R. M. M. Ali, R. A. Mahumud, S. Das Shuvo, A. Nowar, P. K. Mondal, A. A. M. Rizwan, S. K. Mistry

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1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and its overwhelming physical and mental health burden can stigmatize those affected. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of COVID-19-related stigma and its associated factors among the older people residing in the Rohingya refugee camps of Bangladesh. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 864 older adults aged 60 years and above residing in selected Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. The data were collected using face-to-face interviews conducted between November and December 2021. COVID-19-related stigma was measured using the eight-item Stigma Scale adapted to the Rakhine language. A linear regression model was used to identify the factors associated with COVID-19-related stigma among the participants. Participants, on average, had stigmas on three items and 52.8% had a high COVID-19-related stigma score. The average stigma score was higher among the participants who had formal schooling (β = 0.58, 95% CI [0.21, 0.94]), was dependent on family for a living (β = 0.41, 95% CI [0.12, 0.74]), resided away from health center (β = 0.25, 95% CI [0.01, 0.50]), whose family income decreased during the pandemic (β = 0.27, 95% CI [0.03, 0.51]), had close friends or family members previously diagnosed with COVID-19 (β = 1.64, 95% CI [1.08, 2.20]), and had less communication during the pandemic (β = 1.80, 95% CI [1.24, 2.34]). The study findings suggest raising awareness among the older population on COVID-19 and the mitigating strategies to deal with physical and mental well-being through appropriate health literacy interventions and mass media campaigns in Rohingya camps.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)545-552
Number of pages8
JournalStigma and Health
Volume9
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 13 Jul 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American Psychological Association

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • Rohingya refugees
  • stigma
  • older adults

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