Psychological consequences of patients with coronavirus (COVID- 19): A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Abstract<br /> Objective: Infected persons to Coronavirus experience mental and social consequences because of disease. So the goal of this research is to investigate the mental and social consequences of infected persons. Method: The population in this study was people with new coronavirus (Covid 19) in Bushehr province. The sampling method in this study was purposive and the sample size was 8 persons (6 males and 2 females). Due to the qualitative nature of the study, information was obtained through interviews and the interview process continued until data saturation. The duration of each interview was 30 to 40 minutes. The interview was semi-structured and contained open-ended questions. After completing the interview process, the responses were interpreted and coded using the content analysis method. Results: Based on the results of the present study, the psychological consequences of this disease include negative emotions such as fear of death, depression and anxiety, reduced social activities, feelings of rejection by the community, decreased effective communication with family and society, and stigma experienced by the patient and her/his family. Conclusion: People with Covid-19 disease experience many psychosocial consequences, and this will reduce their quality of life; therefore, use of psychologists and counselors in the therapeutic setting can be effective in reducing these consequences.