| Popis: |
Background: In face of the COVID-19, South Korea has provided the ‘Global Golden Standard’ of containment effort. Mandatory quarantine, one of the core policies in place, has proven its efficacy in ensuring public health. Nonetheless, no previous study has examined the policy’s comprehensive impact on its subjects. In addition to providing an account of holistic subjective experience of quarantine, this study also examines the socioecological factors’ influence on the subjective experience by applying the Bronfenbrenner’s model. In order to gather unconstrained information in relation to the contextual background, Consensual Qualitative Research method was used. 17 adults of Korean nationality were interviewed about their experience.Results: 10 categories within four domains of Subjective experience were found: (a) changed life style because of quarantine, continued pre-quarantine life, lasting effect of quarantine in Lifestyle domain; (b) Physical health domain with no subcategory; (c) discomfort, infection anxiety, accepting, satisfying, and gratitude within Psychological Experience domain; and (d) suggestion and change of perspective within Reflection domain. Next, 13 categories of socioecological factors belonged to four different levels of domain: (a) personality and belief in Within-individual domain; (b) quarantine space, personal relationship, coresident, student status, and employment status in Microsystem; (c) Korea’s quarantine policy, maintenance, resources, and abroad’s preventive measure against COVID in Exosystem; and (d) stigma and social responsibility in Macrosystem.Conclusions: The reported subjective experiences of self-quarantine were not uniformly negative or positive, which is unlike previous research findings that were dominantly negative. Identifying socioecological factors that shape an individual’s quarantine experience shed light onto how the government can protect its people from the potential threats of quarantine. The examples include promoting sense of safety through clear and coherent communication about the disease and the measures that are being placed, maximizing opportunities for the subjects to exert control over their lives during quarantine, devising ways to make virtual social connection accessible, and etc. |
