Abstract
Objectives: Infectious diseases are the most common cause of disease stigmatisation, which can lead to a denial of healthcare, education, housing and employment as well as physical violence. Such stigmatisation is common during pandemics. This study aimed to examine the social stigmatisation of COVID-19 among residents of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Riyadh in May 2020. Non-probability convenient sampling was used to recruit 847 participants through social media platforms, including WhatsApp. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, the Pearson correlation coefficient and the chi-squared test were used along with a multiple linear regression model. Results: There was a high level of stigma among 21% of the participants and an intermediate level in almost 49% of the participants. Low stigma was indicated among 30% of the study’s sample. A highly significant association existed between stigma, on the one hand, and older age groups, being married and lower levels of education, on the other. Conclusion: Future awareness programmes should educate patients and their families about stigma as well as the consequences of stigmatising COVID-19. Stigma eradication policies and interventions should be implemented to avoid potentially harmful consequences for public health.
Publication details
- DOI
- 10.18295/squmj.4.2021.044
- Journal
- Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 21(4), 525-531
- Publisher
- Sultan Qaboos University
- Open access
- Gold open access
- License
- CC BY-ND 4.0
Cite this article
APA 7
Almoayad, F., Mahboub, S., Bin Amer, L., Alrabiah, A., & Alhashem, A. (2025). Stigmatisation of COVID-19 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 21(4), 525-531. https://doi.org/10.18295/squmj.4.2021.044
MLA 9
Almoayad, Fatmah, et al. "Stigmatisation of COVID-19 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 21, no. 4, 2025, pp. 525-531. https://doi.org/10.18295/squmj.4.2021.044.
Chicago (author–date)
Almoayad, Fatmah, Samira Mahboub, Lujain Bin Amer, Alaa Alrabiah, and Anwar Alhashem. 2025. "Stigmatisation of COVID-19 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study." Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal 21 (4): 525-531. https://doi.org/10.18295/squmj.4.2021.044.
Harvard
Almoayad, F., Mahboub, S., Bin Amer, L., Alrabiah, A. and Alhashem, A. (2025) 'Stigmatisation of COVID-19 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study', Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 21(4), pp. 525-531. doi:10.18295/squmj.4.2021.044.
Vancouver
Almoayad F, Mahboub S, Bin Amer L, Alrabiah A, Alhashem A. Stigmatisation of COVID-19 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal. 2025;21(4):525-531. doi:10.18295/squmj.4.2021.044
IEEE
F. Almoayad, S. Mahboub, L. Bin Amer, A. Alrabiah, and A. Alhashem, "Stigmatisation of COVID-19 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study," Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 525-531, 2025, doi: 10.18295/squmj.4.2021.044.