The purpose of this study was to obtain a deep understanding of experiences of stigma among people infected with COVID-19 in South Korea. Methods: Data were collected through in-depth interviews from March 2021 to November 2021 with nine people who had been infected with COVID-19. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Results: Six theme clusters emerged from participants' stigma experiences: “I've become the coronavirus itself”, “a desperate defense to protect myself”, “pointing a finger at oneself”, “a scapegoat for the public interest”, “the aftereffects caused by social prejudice” and “an isolated loner”. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that people infected with COVID-19 suffered considerable emotional distress and were hindered in their daily life recovery due to stigma. Based on this study, medical staff who treat patients infected with COVID-19 should understand their stigma in depth and strive to develop and implement the necessary instruments and nursing intervention programs to reduce this stigma.

Purpose: Tuberculosis is an infectious condition with a high disease burden, and the stigma in patients with tuberculosis causes negative health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to define and clarify the concept of self-stigma among patients with tuberculosis. Methods: The analysis was conducted using Walker and Avant’s conceptual approach. Twenty-seven studies met the selection criteria. Results Self-stigma in patients with tuberculosis can be defined by the following attributes: 1) self-esteem decrement; 2) fear; 3) negative emotions to oneself; 4) social withdrawal; and 5) discrimination. The antecedents identified were 1) inappropriate knowledge of tuberculosis, 2) spread of improper health information through media and social communications, 3) stereotypes and prejudices, 4) visibility due to symptoms appearing, 5) recognizing the risk of infection, and 6) low financial status.The consequences were 1) concealing the disease, 2) treatment delay, 3) poor treatment adherence, 4) poor quality of life, and 5) deterioration in or lack of social activities. Conclusion: The definition and attributes of self-stigma identified by this study can be applied to enhance the understanding of stigma in tuberculosis patients and to improve communications between healthcare providers and researchers. It can also be used to develop theories and measurements related to stigma in patients with tuberculosis.