"Tão persistente quanto os sintomas:” as experiências de estigmatização de mulheres e homens com condições pós-covid

Abstract

To develop a substantive theory regarding the experience of stigmatization among women and men with post-COVID conditions. This is a qualitative study with an analytical and explanatory character, based on the theoretical framework of Social Stigma Theory and the methodological framework of Grounded Theory, from a corbinian perspective. It was conducted with people with post-COVID conditions and their families, recruited through digital social networks, with data collection carried out between January 2023 and February 2024. Constant comparative analysis of data occurred simultaneously with its production, through open, axial, and integrative coding. The paradigmatic model was adopted, and theory validation was conducted at the end. Throughout the process, ethical principles for research with human beings were observed. The central category of the theory was “Living with the stigma of persistent post- COVID-19 symptoms,” which includes the categories: (i) “Becoming someone with a post- COVID condition,” comprising the subcategories “Managing the onset of the illness,” “Navigating through the illness,” and “Perceiving the persistence of symptoms”; (ii) “Experiencing stigma in relationships with others,” comprising the subcategories “Interacting with uninfected people,” “Contacting healthcare professionals,” and “Living with family”; and (iii) “Adapting life in the face of stigma and persistent symptoms,” comprising “Feeling the repercussions of persistent symptoms,” “Facing differential treatment from others,” and “Seeking to move forward with life.” The experience of persistent symptoms and the stigma that people still face as a result of COVID-19 remain obstacles to overcoming the effects of the pandemic and highlight how this phenomenon has altered the trajectory of those who continue to live under these conditions—being marginalized, disbelieved, and seeking greater support through public policies.