The experience of social and emotional distancing among health care providers in the context of COVID-19: A study from North India

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with a variety of unforseen psychosocial consequences. Many health care providers (HCP) report experiencing stigmatisation and perceived changes in the quality and quantity of emotional and social connections with peers, community and family. Perceived feelings of emotional and social distancing may contribute to lower morale among HCP. We designed a brief internet survey based on findings of studies examining this phenomenon in Ebola epidemics in Africa. We circulated this study among various categories of HCP in a tertiary training hospital in North India. Quantitative and qualitative data were obtained and analysed. 574 HCP responded to the survey. A majority of respondents across different categories of HCP experienced the social and emotional impact of working in a health care setting in the COVID-19 pandemic. This was experienced at the workplace, community and family (in decreasing order). The phenomenon of the social and emotional impact as manifested as distancing in HCP from peers, community members and family needs to be better recognised and studied. Specific measures to counter this are required.

KEYWORDS:

• India
• stigma
• COVID-19
• health care provider
• social
• emotional
• distancing