Shaming and Stigmatizing Healthcare Workers in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Stigmatization and sharming of healthcare workers in Japan during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic reveal uniquely Japanese features. Seken, usually translated as social appearance or appearance in the eyes of others, is a deep undercurrent woven into the fabric of Japanese life. It has led to providers who become ill with the SARS-CoV-2 virus feeling ashamed, while concealing their conditions from coworkers and public health officials. It also has led to healthcare providers being perceived as polluted and their children being told they were not welcome in schools. Although such experiences are not isolated to Japan and have appeared in other parts of the world, the cultural forces driving them in Japan are unique. Overcoming stigmatization and shaming of Japanese healthcare providers will require concerted efforts to understand cultural barriers and to view such practices as raising human rights issues affecting the safety and well-being of all.