Adverse Impact Of Revealing Positive COVID-19 Patient Identities

Illustration (Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The first positive patient for the corona virus or COVID-19 in Indonesia is still isolated at the Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital (RSPI). Patients with case number 1 and case 2 have been treated for 11 days, starting from March 2.

The two patients were said to have had 4 laboratory tests, but the results were still positive. Some time ago, the government spokesman for the handling of the COVID-19 corona virus, Achmad Yurianto said the patient's condition was in good condition, but was experiencing psychological pressure.

How could I not, when the positive patient information appeared, the public was immediately in an uproar. Out of nowhere, their identities such as names, domiciles, and photos were spread on social media.

"This is a serious blow to both of them psychologically. They are a bit depressed because of the haunting publications. Maybe they thought that they might not be accepted by the neighbors and the environment if they went home," said Yurianto some time ago.

This identity disclosure prompted President Joko Widodo to comment. He asked all parties, including the media, not to open up the patient's data too far.

"I remind hospitals, government officials, not to disclose patient privacy. We must respect it, it cannot be released to the public. This is communication ethics, the media must respect their privacy," said Jokowi.

I have ordered the minister to remind hospitals and government officials not to disclose the privacy of patients being treated for the coronavirus. Their personal rights must be safeguarded. Likewise the mass media, I ask to respect their privacy. pic.twitter.com/8wQXNjgl8t

- Joko Widodo (@jokowi) March 3, 2020

Clinical psychologist Anne Sari said there would be negative psychological effects on someone when they got negative arguments and disclosing their identity on social media, including a patient who was positive for corona.

The heaviest pressure on these patients, said Anne, was the stigmatization and rejection in society of broadcasting the patient's identity (doxing). When he recovers and returns home, if he is rejected by the surrounding residents, he will definitely have a lot of psychological pressure.

"Because our nature is that we have something called root and belonging. We need to be rooted and part of a community group," said Anne when contacted by VOI, Thursday, March 12.

Illustration (Unsplash)

Anne explained, when the psychological condition weakens, the hormone cortisol will be released. This hormone that is affected by stress makes a person's body more susceptible to infection.

The danger, if cortisol levels become high, a person will experience Cushing's syndrome. When this syndrome hits, it will interfere with the body's resistance.

"If our immune system is compromised, it becomes easy for us to become infected. Therefore, when conditions are like this, what we have to pursue in addition to restoring health is psychological well-being," said Anne.

Fortunately, in Anne's view, the environment for handling corona positive patients' health is quite good. When there are people outside who stigmatize them, in their immediate environment they are still supportive.

Furthermore, Anne admitted that she could not determine the pattern of psychological treatment for corona positive patients, because this was the authority and operational standards of the hospital.

However, he shared his experience as a mental health and psychosocial support team for Indonesian citizens who had been quarantined in Natuna after being evacuated from Hubei Province in China.

To the Indonesian citizens who were observed, Anne and her team invited them to continue to develop habits of clean living habits, regular eating patterns, maintain the quality of their food, sleep regularity, and clean lifestyles such as always using masks and cleaning their personal items.

Then they were asked to maintain the mind and emotion manager. The Indonesian national companion team who were observed for 14 days were taught to only receive as much information as they could.

"The goal of mentoring is to maintain psychological well-being until the end of the observation period. Because that is the most important thing, both physical and overall well-being," he explained.

Anne added, Indonesian citizens who have been tested negative during the observation period will feel uneasy with all the information they receive about this contagious disease. The information rush exhausted them. So, said Anne, her party taught them to choose the information they could receive.

"When they see tendentious comments on social media. We can't control people not to comment. Well, yes, we ask them not to read those comments," said Anne.

Mentoring like this can be applied to positive patients, but it is done more strictly. "If those who are sentenced are quarantine, while patients who are positive are called isolation, of course the approach is different. During isolation, the supervision is tighter and there is medical action," he continued.

Illustration (Pixabay)

Handling the psychological pressure of patients at RSPI Sulianti Saroso

Specialist Doctor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Sp.KFR) from the Medical Rehabilitation Installation of RSPI Sulianti Saroso, Barita explained, isolated patients, both positive patients and patients under surveillance (PDP) or suspect corona received counseling and psychotherapy.

The mentoring technique, he said, could be through the intercom via telephone and monitor, or if necessary, by direct contact with the patient. This is done to prevent inactivity (inactivity) the patient.

"So, to anticipate inactivity during treatment, we from the medical installation rehabilitation team provide educational videos of exercise or light exercise so that patients can do these movements with intensive and gradual frequency. So patients should not be inactive during the treatment period," explained Barita.

Barita also admits, when there are patients with prolonged treatment or bed rest, they can experience decondition syndrome (several symptoms). This syndrome can interfere with neurological disorders and psychological disorders.

"Well, patients who experience inactivity during treatment can occur such as anxiety disorders or depression. We will continue to elaborate these symptoms," he said.

Treatment room of RSPI Sulianti Saroso (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)