This study aimed to assess levels of stigma-related attitudes and their associated demographic and work-related factors among healthcare providers in the United Arab Emirates using the validated S19-HCPs stigma assessment tool. Specifically, the study examined stigma experienced by healthcare providers across multiple dimensions including fear of infection, adherence to occupational precautions, willingness to provide care, perception of professional recognition, satisfaction with workplace safety provisions, and attitudes toward COVID-19 patients. Descriptive, cross-sectional study. An anonymous online survey incorporating the 24-item S19-HCPs questionnaire was administered to healthcare providers across United Arab Emirates medical institutions from October through December 2024. The S19-HCPs measures six stigma dimensions across 24 items using a validated instrument with Cronbach’s alpha of 0.79 (English) and 0.74 (Arabic). Data analysis included descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, ranges, frequencies) and non-parametric tests of association (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis H tests) to examine differences across demographic and occupational groups. Among 308 healthcare providers (74% female; mean age 35.2 years, SD = 9.8), significant stigma-related experiences were documented across multiple dimensions. Healthcare providers reported positive attitudes toward COVID-19 patients (M = 12.09, SD = 11.00) alongside substantial occupational fear of infection and safety concerns. Statistically significant variations in stigma outcomes emerged across age groups (H = 8.34, p = 0.005), gender (U = 9876, p < 0.001), occupational roles (H = 12.67, p = 0.001), years of healthcare experience (H = 10.22, p = 0.002), and COVID-19 work status (U = 10,245, p = 0.008). Younger providers (20–30 years), females, nurses, and those with intensive COVID-19 care exposure reported elevated stigma symptoms. Critically, training completion was associated with substantially lower stigma scores across all dimensions (U = 11,023, p < 0.001), identifying training as the strongest protective factor against stigma. This study documented moderate to significant stigma among United Arab Emirates healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic, with clear demographic vulnerability patterns and evidence-based protective mechanisms. These findings underscore urgent need for evidence-based stigma reduction interventions, including mandatory occupational health training, explicit workplace protective policies, accessible mental health services, and public education campaigns addressing misconceptions. Healthcare organizations and policymakers must prioritize stigma prevention as a core pandemic preparedness component to ensure sustainable healthcare workforce resilience, quality care delivery and system capacity during future infectious disease crises.
Nashwan et al. (Thu,) studied this question.