Health Law and the COVID-19 related Stigma and Discrimination

The realization of the right to health and the provision of public access to
health care are essential to the enjoyment of other human rights. Because
health enables people to have an equal fair opportunity to achieve their goals
and pursue their life plans. Stigma and discrimination have been prohibited
as one of the key barriers to access health care, and a factor in increasing
inequality in health outcomes. One of the adverse consequences of the
COVID-19 pandemic is its association with social stigma and
discrimination. In this study, the concept of stigma is described and the
causes of COVID-19 stigma are analyzed, and also the strategies to deal with
it are discussed. In answer to the question of the causes of the COVID-19
stigma, it can be said that the stigma is caused due to the defensive
mechanism and cognitive adaptation that humans adopt in order to avoid
social contact and interactions with the carrier of this infectious pathogen.
Fear of violation of privacy and disclosure of information on the one hand,
and stigma caused by the disease on the other hand, due to the feeling of
worthlessness and isolation in the labeled person can avoid him from
referring to care and treatment services; This matter not only can increase
the risk of complications and death in the patients, but also not receiving
medical care by the patient or discrimination in providing health care to him
can cause the spread of infection in society and endanger public health.
Informing community members in order to eliminate misconceptions and
change attitude is recommended as the most important way to deal with
stigma and prevent the spread of disease in society.