Panic and Trust during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study on Immigrants in South Korea

In the COVID-19 pandemic, marginalized groups like migrants are disproportionately affected. As panic, fear of neglect, and mistrusting institutions in these groups are presumed to be apparent, their detachment to health services still needs to be investigated. This study comparatively analyzed the...

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Main Authors: Myeong Sook Yoon, Israel Fisseha Feyissa, So-Won Suk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
Series:Healthcare
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/2/199
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author Myeong Sook Yoon
Israel Fisseha Feyissa
So-Won Suk
author_facet Myeong Sook Yoon
Israel Fisseha Feyissa
So-Won Suk
author_sort Myeong Sook Yoon
collection DOAJ
description In the COVID-19 pandemic, marginalized groups like migrants are disproportionately affected. As panic, fear of neglect, and mistrusting institutions in these groups are presumed to be apparent, their detachment to health services still needs to be investigated. This study comparatively analyzed the level of panic and trust between South Koreans and immigrants who are living within highly affected areas of South Korea. Mann–Whitney-U-Test and Pearson correlation showed panic is more pronounced in the Korean group while having a similar panic display pattern with the immigrants. The immigrant group appears to highly trust the Korean health system, health institutions, local media, and the local native community. Beyond conventional expectations, participant’s average panic score showed a statistically significant positive correlation with items of the trust scale, indicating a level of individual reliance amid the pandemic panic. Thus, ascertaining institutional trust and matured citizenry are identified as factors for effective public health outcomes. During such a pandemic, this study also reminded the public health needs of immigrants as secondary citizens, and presumptions of immigrants’ mistrust in such settings might not always be true.
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spelling doaj.art-21755d334e1945fe9d27cb0fe306b2532023-12-11T16:51:40ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322021-02-019219910.3390/healthcare9020199Panic and Trust during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study on Immigrants in South KoreaMyeong Sook Yoon0Israel Fisseha Feyissa1So-Won Suk2Department of Social Welfare, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju City 54896, KoreaDepartment of Social Welfare, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju City 54896, KoreaDepartment of Social Welfare, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju City 54896, KoreaIn the COVID-19 pandemic, marginalized groups like migrants are disproportionately affected. As panic, fear of neglect, and mistrusting institutions in these groups are presumed to be apparent, their detachment to health services still needs to be investigated. This study comparatively analyzed the level of panic and trust between South Koreans and immigrants who are living within highly affected areas of South Korea. Mann–Whitney-U-Test and Pearson correlation showed panic is more pronounced in the Korean group while having a similar panic display pattern with the immigrants. The immigrant group appears to highly trust the Korean health system, health institutions, local media, and the local native community. Beyond conventional expectations, participant’s average panic score showed a statistically significant positive correlation with items of the trust scale, indicating a level of individual reliance amid the pandemic panic. Thus, ascertaining institutional trust and matured citizenry are identified as factors for effective public health outcomes. During such a pandemic, this study also reminded the public health needs of immigrants as secondary citizens, and presumptions of immigrants’ mistrust in such settings might not always be true.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/2/199COVID-19public healthpanic disorderpublic trustimmigrantsglobal pandemic
spellingShingle Myeong Sook Yoon
Israel Fisseha Feyissa
So-Won Suk
Panic and Trust during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study on Immigrants in South Korea
Healthcare
COVID-19
public health
panic disorder
public trust
immigrants
global pandemic
title Panic and Trust during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study on Immigrants in South Korea
title_full Panic and Trust during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study on Immigrants in South Korea
title_fullStr Panic and Trust during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study on Immigrants in South Korea
title_full_unstemmed Panic and Trust during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study on Immigrants in South Korea
title_short Panic and Trust during COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study on Immigrants in South Korea
title_sort panic and trust during covid 19 a cross sectional study on immigrants in south korea
topic COVID-19
public health
panic disorder
public trust
immigrants
global pandemic
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/2/199
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