Recovered but Constrained: Narratives of Ghanaian COVID-19 Survivors Experiences and Coping Pathways of Stigma, Discrimination, Social Exclusion and Their Sequels

Background: Research about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), its epidemiology and socio-economic impact on populations worldwide has gained attention. However, there is dearth of empirical knowledge in low- and middle-income settings about the pandemic’s impact on survivors, particularly the tension of their everyday life arising from the experiences and consequences of stigma, discrimination and social exclusion, and how they cope with these behavioral adversities. Methods: Realist qualitative approach drawing data from people clinically diagnosed positive of COVID-19, admitted into therapy in a designated treatment facility, and subsequently recovered and discharged for or without follow-up domiciliary care. In-depth interviews were conducted by maintaining a code book for identifying and documenting thematic categories in a progression leading to thematic saturation with 45 participants. Data were transcribed and coded deductively for broad themes at the start before systematically nesting emerging themes into the broad ones with the aid of NVivo 12 software. Results: Everyday lived experiences of the participants were disrupted with acts of indirect stigmatization (against relatives and family members), direct stigmatization (labeling, prejudices and stereotyping), barriers to realizing full social life and discriminatory behaviors across socio-ecological structures (workplace, community, family, and social institutions). These behavioral adversities were associated with self-reported poor health, anxiety and psychological disorders, and frustrations among others. Consequently, supplicatory prayers, societal and organizational withdrawal, aggressive behaviors, supportive counseling, and self-assertive behaviors were adopted to cope and modify the adverse behaviors driven by misinformation and fearful perceptions of the COVID-19 and its contagious proportions. Conclusion: In the face of the analysis, social campaigns and dissemination of toolkits that can trigger behavior change and responsible behaviors toward COVID-19 survivors are proposed to be implemented by health stakeholders, policy and decision makers in partnership with social influencers, the media, and telecoms.

Disservice to Society: A Transnational Analysis of the Canadian Hearing Services

This paper expresses a growing sentiment the author felt as an employee of Canadian Hearing Services, one that is only implied in the Deaf Citizens petition. Namely, that the current operation of CHS is contributing to a disconnect from the Ontario and Canadian deaf communities, but it also signifies a disconnect from something bigger—what the author calls the global deaf network or what Murray (2007) calls “the transnational Deaf public sphere” (p.4)— and therefore the actions taking place at CHS reverberate beyond provincial and national borders. In applying a transnational analysis, the author explores the connections and linkages between CHS and a deaf network that exists globally, which includes CHS’ past participation in large international deaf events and the role of CHS offices in bringing together people who have unique and important experiences engaging with global deaf spaces and networks, and consider if the changes recently implemented at CHS signify an organizational withdrawal from these global spaces and networks. While this discussion only scratches the surface of possible connections linking CHS to a global deaf network, the author aims to add their voice to those calling on CHS to rebuild bridges that have previously linked the organization with deaf networks at local as well as global levels.

Validation of the Job-Hopping Motives Scale

Job-hopping is the practice of making frequent voluntary job changes. Integrating theory and research from career and organizational turnover research, two distinct motives for job-hopping were proposed. The escape motive describes frequently changing jobs to escape disliked work environments, whereas the advancement motive describes frequently changing jobs as a means of career advancement. A self-report measure of job-hopping motives was developed and validated using responses from 221 students and 1,528 adults. Factor analysis showed that the motives are distinct but moderately related. The escape motive was associated with negative reactivity (impulsivity, negative affect) and script-based turnover decisions. The advancement motive was associated with positive proactivity (persistence, growth need strength), and protean, boundaryless, and kaleidoscope career theory components. Both motives were associated with organizational withdrawal, quick turnover decisions, and increased turnover. Job-hopping motives predicted historic job change rate over and above demographic, career, and organizational turnover variables.