{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,19]],"date-time":"2026-05-19T11:06:29Z","timestamp":1779188789728,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"2-3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,1]],"date-time":"2026-03-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772323200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Asia Pac J Public Health"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>While COVID-19-related stigma perception is recognized as a mental health risk, its effects on the general population are understudied. This study examined the link between stigma perception and symptoms of anxiety disorder among the general population in South Korea. This study used data from a nationwide survey, the Korean National Mental Health Survey related to COVID-19. Anxiety symptoms were measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7). Stigma perception was assessed with a single question and categorized as \u201cNo,\u201d \u201cYes,\u201d or \u201cStrongly Yes.\u201d Logistic regression was used, adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, COVID-19-related, and health-related factors. Results showed that 12.7% of respondents met the criteria for anxiety disorder. Compared with those who perceived no stigma, individuals who answered \u201cYes\u201d had 2.12 (95% CI [1.31, 3.46]) times higher odds of anxiety, and those who answered \u201cStrongly Yes\u201d had 6.61 (95% CI [3.75, 11.62]) times higher odds. Other significant factors included marital status, lower income, worsened economic conditions during the pandemic, subjective stress, poor sleep quality, and underlying health conditions. These findings suggest that stigma perception related to COVID-19 is a strong and independent risk factor for anxiety. Public health interventions should incorporate anti-stigma strategies to support mental health during and beyond pandemic.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/10105395261426506","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,11]],"date-time":"2026-03-11T10:46:40Z","timestamp":1773226000000},"page":"169-175","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Association Between COVID-19-Related Stigma Perception and Anxiety Disorders in the General Population During the Pandemic: Evidence From a Nationwide Survey in South Korea"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"38","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5547-0980","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Wook","family":"Kim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Climate, Environment and Energy Research Division, Gyeonggi Research Institute, Suwon, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-6724-8088","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eun-Whan","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Climate, Environment and Energy Research Division, Gyeonggi Research Institute, Suwon, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_2_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cardwell K Clyne B Broderick N et al. Lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic in selected countries to inform strengthening of public health systems: a qualitative study. Public Health. 2023;225:343-352. Accessed April 1 2025. https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37979311\/","DOI":"10.1016\/j.puhe.2023.10.024"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Saqib K Goel V Dubin JA VanderDoes J Butt ZA. Exploring the syndemic impact of COVID-19 and mental health on health services utilisation among adult Ontario population. Public Health. 2024;236:70-77. Accessed April 1 2025. https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0033350624002889","DOI":"10.1016\/j.puhe.2024.07.008"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12992-020-00589-w"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1010539520962952"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/10105395211025901"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Xiong J Lipsitz O Nasri F et al. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in the general population: a systematic review. J Affect Disord. 2020;277:55-64. Accessed February 11 2025. https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7413844\/","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2020.08.001"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_8_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"SeyedAlinaghi S Afsahi AM Shahidi R et al. Social stigma during COVID-19: a systematic review. SAGE Open Med. 2023;11:20503121231208273. Accessed January 16 2026. https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC10640804\/","DOI":"10.1177\/20503121231208273"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_9_2","unstructured":"Cha S lee E. Influence of COVID-19 confirmed experience on suicidal ideation. Korean Public Health Res. 2024;50(1):51-59. Accessed February 13 2025. https:\/\/www.dbpia.co.kr\/Journal\/articleDetail?nodeId=NODE11900893"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_10_2","unstructured":"Lee E Kim W. After a Year of COVID-19 Pandemic Mental Demic. Mental Health Pandemic Warning! Gyeonggi Research Institute; 2021:1-25. Accessed February 18 2026. https:\/\/www.gri.re.kr\/web\/contents\/issdiag.do?schStr=%EC%9D%B4%EC%9D%80%ED%99%98&schM=view&page=1&viewCount=10&schPrjType=ISS&schStartYear=&schEndYear=&schSubj1=&schSubj2=&schProjectNo=20210166&schBookResultNo=14700"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_11_2","first-page":"1","article-title":"COVID-19 generation, how are your mental health","volume":"414","author":"Lee E.","year":"2020","unstructured":"Lee E. COVID-19 generation, how are your mental health. Issue Diagn. 2020;414:1-25.","journal-title":"Issue Diagn"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kim K Jeong H Lee J. COVID-19 related fear risk perceptions and behavioral changes according to level of depression among nursing students. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(8):4814. Accessed April 2 2025. https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9025065\/","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19084814"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Link BG Phe lan JC. Conceptualizing stigma. Annu Rev Sociol. 2001;27:363-385. Accessed March 31 2025. https:\/\/www.annualreviews.org\/content\/journals\/10.1146\/annurev.soc.27.1.363","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev.soc.27.1.363"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Schindell BG Kangbai JB Shaw SY Kindrachuk J. Stigmatization of Ebola virus disease survivors in 2022: a cross-sectional study of survivors in Sierra Leone. J Infect Public Health. 2024;17(1):35-43. Accessed March 31 2025. https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1876034123003611","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jiph.2023.10.025"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Crea TM Collier KM Klein EK et al. Social distancing community stigma and implications for psychological distress in the aftermath of Ebola virus disease. PLoS ONE. 2022;17(11):e0276790. Accessed March 31 2025. https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/36322544\/","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0276790"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Paterson A Olliaro PL Rojek A. Addressing stigma in infectious disease outbreaks: a crucial step in pandemic preparedness. Front Public Health. 2023;11:1303679. Accessed March 31 2025. https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC10768929\/","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.1303679"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_17_2","unstructured":"A guide to preventing addressing social stigma associated with COVID-19. Accessed April 16 2025. https:\/\/www.who.int\/publications\/m\/item\/a-guide-to-preventing-and-addressing-social-stigma-associated-with-covid-19"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ryu S Chaubal S Guro P et al. Prevalence and predictors of perceived COVID-19 stigma within a population-based sample of adults with COVID-19. BMC Public Health. 2023;23(1):2110. Accessed March 31 2025. https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/37891499\/","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-17042-3"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/pubmed\/fdad142"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Spitzer RL Kroenke K Williams JBW L\u00f6we B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(10):1092-1097. Accessed April 1 2025. https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/16717171\/","DOI":"10.1001\/archinte.166.10.1092"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chandrashekhar V. The burden of stigma. Science. 2020;369(6510):1419-1423. Accessed April 2 2025. https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.369.6510.1419","DOI":"10.1126\/science.369.6510.1419"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Thomeer MB. Relationship status-based health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Soc Curr. 2023;10(1):17-40. Accessed April 1 2025. https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC9111917\/","DOI":"10.1177\/23294965221099185"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_23_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/ssqu.13063"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Thorndike AN Fung V McCurley JL Clark CR Howard S Levy DE. COVID-19 stressors and one-year changes in depression and anxiety in a longitudinal cohort of low-income adults in the United States. Prev Med Rep. 2022;26:101730. Accessed April 1 2025. https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/35155086\/","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pmedr.2022.101730"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_25_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ettman CK Abdalla SM Wang R Rosenberg SB Galea S. Generalized anxiety disorder in low-resourced adults: a nationally representative longitudinal cohort study across the COVID-19 pandemic. Am J Epidemiol. 2025;194(3):755-765. Accessed April 1 2025. https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/39123097\/","DOI":"10.1093\/aje\/kwae270"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_26_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2023.990407"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_27_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2023.1166815"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_28_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pmed.1004206"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_29_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wood L Birtel M Alsawy S Pyle M Morrison A. Public perceptions of stigma towards people with schizophrenia depression and anxiety. Psychiatry Res. 2014;220(1-2):604-608. Accessed April 1 2025. https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25064387\/","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2014.07.012"},{"key":"e_1_3_2_30_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Busby Grant J Bruce CP Batterham PJ. Predictors of personal perceived and self-stigma towards anxiety and depression. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2016;25(3):247-254. Accessed April 1 2025. https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25791089\/","DOI":"10.1017\/S2045796015000220"}],"container-title":["Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/10105395261426506","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/10105395261426506","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/10105395261426506","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,19]],"date-time":"2026-05-19T10:10:54Z","timestamp":1779185454000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/10105395261426506"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]},"references-count":29,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2-3","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/10105395261426506"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/10105395261426506","relation":{},"ISSN":["1010-5395","1941-2479"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1010-5395","type":"print"},{"value":"1941-2479","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,3]]}}}