STORIES OF OVERCOMING CORONA VIRUS DISEASE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY

THAT EXPLORES THE EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY GOT TESTED

POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

A Research
Presented to
the
Tacurong National High School

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for Practical Research 1
Senior High School

by
Liahona Z. Labrillaso
John Dave M. Pagmanua
Jhon Vincent D. Posadas

April 2022

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 DEDICATION

We wholeheartedly dedicate this research to those people who tested positive for corona virus

disease that’s spreading rapidly up until today throughout our country. And also, to all the families

who lost their loved ones due to devastation brought by this pandemic. Hopefully, in God’s will, we will

be able to surpass this and be back to normal.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, thanks to Allah/God for his guidance throughout our research work to complete

the research successfully. To the participants who wholeheartedly accepted and consented to

conduct this study.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Ma’am Leizel Ganzon Castaño for giving us this

opportunity to do this research and also to our families for supporting us.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEDICATION...........................................................................................................................................3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT..........................................................................................................................4

CHAPTER I..............................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................................6

Background of the Study...................................................................................................................6

Problem Statement...........................................................................................................................7

Purpose Statement...........................................................................................................................7

Research Questions..........................................................................................................................8

Scope of the Study............................................................................................................................9

Limitations of the Study.....................................................................................................................9

Significance of the Study...................................................................................................................9

CHAPTER II...........................................................................................................................................10

Literature Review.............................................................................................................................................10

Misconceptions and varying views..................................................................................................10

CHAPTER III..........................................................................................................................................12

METHODOLOGY............................................................................................................................................12

Research Design.............................................................................................................................13

Research Setting.............................................................................................................................13

Sampling.........................................................................................................................................13

Research Participants.....................................................................................................................14
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Data Collection Procedures............................................................................................................14

Data Analysis Procedures...............................................................................................................14

Ethical Considerations................................................................................................................................ 14

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Barangay D'Ledesma COVID-19 update as of March 28, 2022.............................................11

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter includes the background of the study, statement of the problem, statement of the

purpose, research questions, scope, limitation, significance of the study, and summary of the chapter.

Background of the Study

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel corona virus (SARS-CoV-2), has caused massive

global upheaval. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), from December 2019 to mid-

April 2020, more than 2 million COVID-19 case and more than 100,000 deaths have been confirmed

worldwide, including more than 200 countries.

The symptoms of this virus include, fever, and cough, sore throat and difficulty in breathing. SARS-

CoV-2 infection can impact the physical, cognitive, and mental health of patients. Moreover, it was

proved that the effects of the virus may persist for weeks and months. Most people infected with the

virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special

treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people and

those with underlying medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory

disease, or cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 and

become seriously ill or die at any age.

The virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they

cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe. The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be

well informed about the disease and how the virus spreads.

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There are still many unanswered questions about the COVID-19; however, a largely underutilized

source of knowledge is the millions of people who have recovered after contracting the virus.

In this research, we aim to know the experiences of COVID-19 survivors or to those who tested

positive for corona virus disease.

Problem Statement

Social stigma against persons infected with COVID-19 is not unusual or uncommon. According to

Banerjee (2020), many individuals recovered from COVID-19 and their families experienced social

stigma. COVID-19 survivors or patients admitted to COVID ward who are discriminate and humiliated

by their peers are most likely experience a variety of stress, mental agony, internalized stigma, feeling

of guilt of infecting others, anger toward self, cursing one fate, thinking “why god has punished me

and my family” adds in the pain of remaining socially isolated from family in a “locked up” state is

highly distressing.

A correlation study conducted to determine knowledge and self-expressed stigma regarding to story

of triumph after testing positive for COVID-19 within the locality of Barangay D’Ledesma, Tacurong

City, Sultan Kudarat.

Purpose Statement

Although various studies have been conducted in relation to COVID-19 pandemic, literature regarding

this certain talk or issue is quite few and limited. Among those examined, few researchers have

examined the struggles and experiences of people who got infected with COVID-19. Therefore, there

is a need to observe and to grasp information regarding this certain topic.

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The purpose of this study is to determine the personal experiences and to know their journey in

overcoming challenges they faced during their isolation period and after they got tested negative for

COVID-19. The findings of this study may contribute to the future studies or researches which will

serve as one of the components in formulating a concrete solution for covid-related study. The results

should hopefully enable government or authorities to address concerns by people suffered from

devastation of COVID-19 that is continuously emerging.

Research Questions

The research questions “are questions that a research project sets out to answer”. Choosing a

research question is an essential element of both qualitative and quantitative research. Research

question often addresses an issue or a problem, which, through analysis and interpretation of data, is

answered in the study’s conclusion. In this study we used descriptive research questions that aims to

measure the responses of study’s population to one or more variables or describe variables that

research will measure. Answers to the following research questions were sought in this study.

 What was the experience of people who suffered from a health condition caused by

corona virus?

 What are the factors that have contributed to their mental health during and after they

caught by the virus?

 What have they done to still be able to surpass from social stigma or criticism after

knowing they are infected with COVID-19?

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Scope of the Study

This refers to the boundaries within which your research project will be performed; this includes

elements that will be covered in a research project.

This qualitative research focuses on the experiences of people they’ve gone through after testing

positive for COVID-19 in Barangay D’Ledesma, Tacurong City. Also, this study aims to unfold the

untold stories came up during the time they were isolated due to corona virus infection.

Table 1: Barangay D'Ledesma COVID-19 update as of March 28, 2022

Barangay Total no. of Total no. of Active cases Total deaths

cases recovered
cases
D’Ledesma 15 14 0 1

Limitations of the Study

In this portion, it would help researchers to determine which is the area that should be and should

not be examined or observed to gather data and findings. The limitations of the study are as follows:

 It only focuses on the personal experiences of people who tested positive for COVID-19.

 Three individuals from the chosen barangay were selected to share their journey throughout

the isolation and confinement period.

 Individuals must be a bonafide residents of Barangay D’Ledesma, Tacurong City.

 Individual must be at least 18 years old so that they can provide concrete and reliable

information regarding to what researchers may ask.

Significance of the Study

Researchers have begun identifying those specific individuals to be asked. In this research, the
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following is beneficial to the following:

Community. The study will help the community to be able to understand thoroughly that COVID-19 is

not just a normal illness but it’s fatal if nothing has done in the first place.

Authorities. The study will help the authorities, specifically the government, to provide not only the

assistance needed when isolated but to support the mental health of somebody who tested positive

for COVID-19.

Future researchers. This study will help future researchers in gathering of information or data

needed in correlated study.

CHAPTER II

Literature Review

This chapter presents the studies, journals, and articles that are relevant to the present study.

Misconceptions and varying views

As the number of affected people and deaths due to novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) increases

drastically, fear of the disease and of infected people can cause social stigmatization (Ho CS et al.,

2020). According to Weiss MG et al. (2006), ‘health-related stigma’ is typically known as social

rejection or exclusion of individuals and populations suffering from specific health problems. Based on

the included studies, a range of 63% to 100% of survivors of severe acute respiratory syndrome

(SARS) and Ebola reported stigmatization after recovery. Survivors in various studies experienced

apathetic views and avoidant behaviors from medical staff while hospitalized. They also reported

verbal abuse and the fear of contagion expressed by healthy people as well as avoidance from family,

friends, colleagues, and neighbors after recovery. Furthermore, many perceived barriers in using

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services and employment. Emotional disturbances, such as anxiety, worries, and helplessness, were

common. Survivors reported various forms of being insulted, shunned, marginalized, and rejected in

different aspects of their lives, including work, familial relationships, schooling, and public services.

Studies identified several factors contributing to stigma associated with infectious diseases, such as

people's knowledge; distribution of myths and stories by the mass and social media; and psychosocial

variables, such as risk perception and fear of being infected. Outbreak-related stigma is largely based

on community fear and the understanding that survivors are still contagious.

Based on included studies, the consequences of health-related stigma were significant. First,

stigmatization can considerably increase psychosomatic distress and disturbance (Lee S. et al.,

2005) Second, stigmatization can negatively affect people with infection and those at risk of infection

in seeking medical care (Bruns et al., 2020). Infected individuals may remain undiagnosed, avoid

testing and treatment efforts, and therefore jeopardize their physical and mental health, and may be

more likely to infect others (Tenkorang EY, 2017). This may also result in more trouble in controlling

the disease for public health authorities. Third, HCWs and volunteers working in the field may also

become stigmatized, leading to higher rates of distress, stress, and burnout. Finally, when people

avoid groups or geographic areas related to infectious diseases, this can pose significant economic

losses (Tracy M, 2006).  Thus, stigma is more than a mere negative outcome of infectious diseases; it

is both a factor that contributes to the epidemics and pandemics and a disease in itself (Nylander D,

2020). COVID-19 is a new disease with many unknown aspects and, naturally, people are afraid of

the unknown. Fear of COVID-19 directly correlates with its rapid and invisible transmission, and its

morbidity and mortality. According to Ahorsu DK. (2020), the elevated level of fear can influence

people's rational thinking in reacting to COVID-19. Furthermore, a large amount of uncontrolled news

is spreading through the media, which increases the risk of disseminating fake news more rapidly

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than the virus itself, causing anxiety, worries, and uncertainties that all contribute to negatives effects,

such as stigma.

The suggested approaches for mitigating stigma include psychological support and counseling of

stigmatized patients and HCWs; developing community campaigns to convey informative messages

and discouraging people from stigmatizing others; public education; ensuring that the media take

accountability in news dissemination; acknowledging the presence of stigma in the COVID-19 era;

and also endorsing our moral and social responsibility.

Previous studies have provided clear evidence of the possibility of stigma as a result of outbreaks.

Now, we are in the midst of this pandemic, and it appears that its consequences will remain for many

years. In this situation, paying particular attention to the possible effects of COVID-19 causing stigma

in susceptible people is vital. Anticipating disease-related stigma during the COVID-19 pandemic

enables policy-makers and emergency coordinators to address it, thereby potentially restricting its

adverse effects. The hidden burden caused by stigma as a result of COVID-19 can create severe

consequences for patients, HCW, and public health measures. Considering the screening of stigma in

all COVID-19 survivors and coordinated psychological interventions to overcome this crisis are

essential.

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter includes the details of research design, research setting, sampling method, research

participants, data collection procedures, data analysis procedures, quality control plan, and ethical

consideration.

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Research Design

The research design refers to the overall strategy that you choose to integrate the different

components of the study in a coherent and logical way, thereby, ensuring you will effectively address

the research problem; it constitutes the blueprint for the collection measurement and analysis of data.

The research method used for this study is descriptive research design. The main purpose of this

design is to observe, describe, and document the aspect of a situation that is naturally occurs. This

study also seeks to describe the current status of an unidentified variables. Provide systematic and

reliable information about phenomenon and observe the subjects without intervention.

The present study followed a qualitative research design based on ethnographic methods. In other

words, the project was carried out in a natural setting, mainly through observations and interviews.

Research Setting

The research setting refers to the place where data are collected. In this study, data were

collected within the area of Barangay D’Ledesma, Tacurong City.

Sampling

In this study, we used the purposive type of sampling in line with our data gathering procedure. This

type of sampling is used to recruit participants who can provide in-depth and detailed information

about the phenomenon under investigation. It is highly subjective and determined by the researchers

generating the qualifying criteria each participant must meet to be considered for the study.

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Research Participants

The participants of this study are those people within the area of Barangay D’Ledesma, Tacurong

City, Sultan Kudarat who tested positive for COVID-19 for the last couple of months.

Data Collection Procedures

In the collection of data, we used to identify first the participants who are the main subject of the

study. In addition, we asked permission from them to conduct a study. We also formulated

questionnaires through Google Forms to partially get the information we need. Moreover, we utilized

interviews through Google Meet and Zoom in order to ask the participants about specific questions.

Ultimately, after all the data were collected and obtained is the transcription and translation of the data

collected.

Data Analysis Procedures

Data analysis is how researchers go from a mass of data to meaningful insights. In our study, we

used the Narrative Analysis method since it is qualitative research. This method is used to analyze

content from various sources, such as interviews of respondents, observations from field, or surveys.

It focuses on using the stories and experiences shared by people to answer the research questions.

Ethical Considerations

The study has presented insight to a range of methodologies and methods available to researchers

along with details example of its practice. However, in addition to the importance of selecting an

appropriate research methodology and methods is the importance of the ethical considerations

around conducting the research.

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The cornerstone of ethical research is ‘informed consent’ (Denzin & Lincoln, 2011). The term consists

of two important elements, with each requiring careful consideration, that is ‘informed’ and ‘consent’.

Participants must be fully informed of what will be asked of them, how the data will be used, and what

(if any) consequences there could be. The informed consent process can be seen as the contract

between researcher and the participants.

It is important the identity of participants is kept confidential or anonymous and the assurances extend

beyond protecting their names to also include the avoidance of using self-identifying statements and

information. Anonymity and confidentiality are important steps in providing protection for the

participants from potential harm.

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