BE BLESSED TO RESPIRE: A QUALITATIVE APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH AMONG COVID-19 SURVIVORS IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis that led to concerning hospital admission and death rate. Hospitalised COVID-19 survivors faced multiple stressors and tremendous psychological distress throughout their infection, hospitalisation and recovery journey. Despite facing adversity, discharged COVID-19 patients were found to breakthrough and achieve Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) while demonstrating the tendency to flourish from the negative experience. By adopting a basic interpretive qualitative research design, this study obtained a comprehensive understanding about the hospitalised experience of COVID-19 survivors. The employment of the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) as a screening criterion among participants who achieved medium to very high PTG has validated the research findings after surviving through Stages 4 and 5 COVID-19 infection, hospitalisation and at least 3 months post-discharge. Thematic analysis has revealed components that contributed to participants’ PTG – the presence of stressors, perceived distress, adaptive coping strategies, resilience, social support and inner strengths. Positive changes that emerged after the experience were reflected in 6 PTG themes – increased pro-health awareness and actions, sense of purpose, positive life view, more agreeableness, change in life priorities and Carpe Diem. Research findings also provided insights about the subjective hospitalised experience and growth journey through the eyes of COVID-19 survivors. Recommendations in this study can be a pivotal reference for community stakeholders to reinforce policies that go beyond alleviating negative impacts of the pandemic to achieve pragmatic outcomes through shaping a supportive environment that aids recovery and promoting growth among survivors of COVID-19 and any possible future health crisis.