Exploring the Psychosocial Impacts on COVID-19 Survivors: A Qualitative Study of Life after COVID-19 Diagnosis and Quarantine in South Korea

Abstract

COVID-19 infection and subsequent quarantine experiences during the pandemic may have profoundly affected many aspects of life among COVID-19 survivors. However, limited research has explored the changes these survivors experienced once they returned to their daily lives. This study aimed to explore COVID-19 survivors’ psychosocial impacts and their lives following infection and social quarantine during the initial phase of the pandemic in South Korea. Semistructured telephone interviews were conducted in June 2021, involving 15 COVID-19 survivors. All participants contracted COVID-19 between February 2020 and April 2021 in South Korea. This study used a qualitative methodology from phenomelogical perspectives to explore and understand the participants’ shared lived experiences. Thematic analysis identified four overarching themes and 12 subthemes among Korean COVID-19 survivors: (a) self-concept transformation; (b) changed relationship dynamics; (c) life perspective shifts; and (d) health awareness evolution. Recognizing the life changes experienced by COVID-19 survivors can inform the development of targeted peer support services and person-centered education. Focusing on health awareness and empowerment, these initiatives can promote personal growth, facilitate positive changes, and alleviate traumatic experiences for future survivors of diverse infectious diseases. Future research could investigate the long-term impact of COVID-19 on individuals’ lives and explore the mechanisms underlying these effects.

Keywords:

• Covid-19
• survivors
• pandemic
• psychosocial impacts
• South Korea

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea in 2021 [NRF-2021S1A5A8061144].

Notes on contributors

Min Ah Kim

Min Ah Kim is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Welfare at Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea. Her research interests center on traumatic illnesses and disability experiences and psychosocial factors that influence service utilization and treatment outcomes.

Jaehee Yi

Jaehee Yi is a Professor at the University of Victoria, School of Social Work in Canada. Her research is primarily centered around exploring the effects of trauma on individuals and families within cultural contexts.

Jimin Sung

Jimin Sung is a doctoral student at the Columbia University, School of Social Work in the United States. Her research centers on examining the effects of social oppression on the well-being of stigmatized individuals.

Gaben Sanchez

Gaben Sanchez is an Assistant Professor at the University of Victoria, School of Social Work in Canada. His research interests center on the topic of structural marginalization.