Changes in patients’ outlook, behaviors, and attitudes toward COVID-19 after hospitalization and their experiences of discrimination and harassment

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine changes in patients’ perspectives and outlooks regarding the disease and their health after hospitalization for COVID-19 and investigate their discrimination and harassment experiences. This prospective observational study surveyed discharged patients who had been admitted to Hyogo Prefectural Tamba Medical Center in Japan for COVID-19. Patient characteristics, changes in outlook and behaviors after discharge, and incidents of discrimination and harassment were examined. The study was conducted in two waves: March–June 2020 and July–September 2020. RESULTS: Responses were obtained from 27 patients aged 50 ± 17 years, including 16 men (59.3%). We found most patients feared infection before hospitalization (88.5%) and had taken some preventive measures (96.3%), however after discharge, all (100%) practiced social distancing and infection prevention. Twenty patients (80%) considered changing their lifestyles, and 19 (79.2%) decided to use sick leave when they felt ill; these trends were more prominent during the second wave. Six patients (23.1%) reported experiencing discrimination or harassment after discharge. While most patients with COVID-19 had a strong fear of infection before hospitalization, their views about health and health behaviors changed after hospitalization. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13104-021-05780-9.