An Epidemic of Stigma: The Stigmatization of COVID-19 First Responders in Pagadian City, Philippines

Abstract

This study analyzed the experiences of public stigma and self-stigma by four groups of first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely, fire responders, police officers, hospital workers, and barangay health workers in Pagadian City, Philippines. The concepts of public stigma and self-stigma developed by Pescosolido and Martin (2015) were used. A mixed-methods design guided data collection with 225 survey participants and 14 in-depth interview respondents. Data reveal that physical distancing, exclusion, and harboring the perception that first responders are health threats were common forms of public stigma.  This was corroborated by the finding that hospital and barangay health workers recorded the highest levels of public stigma. Close proximity to COVID-19 patients, despite wearing personal protective equipment during work, is the only reason cited. Registering significantly lower levels of stigma are the fire responders. It is interesting to note from the data how first responders converted public stigma to self-stigma, with the latter characterized by diminished self-image and increased anticipation of discrimination from anybody. Respondents' narratives described how stigma would create tension in all the spaces they occupied. Instead of escalating tension into conflict, respondents felt empathy understanding the public’s fear of infection. The findings stress that stigma, especially during widespread health crises such as pandemic, operates along a socially embedded process specifically shaped by how risk is perceived, trust in health institutions, and occupational visibility. By highlighting both external and internal dimensions of stigma, this study contributes to a more contextualized understanding of work-related stigmatization in the Philippine setting.