A qualitative study about the challenges of being under home quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic in Yatta, West Bank, Palestine.

Pages: 470-474
Inad Nawajah (College of science and technology, Hebron University, Palestine)
CarolEl Jabari (MPH, College of Nursing, Hebron University, Palestine)

The current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic presents the greatest threat to Palestinian public health in living memory. Pandemics are challenging for policymakers because of the scientific and medical uncertainty. Since the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), Palestinian patients have on the most part been assigned to home quarantine.The aim of this study was to explore the effects of being quarantined following exposure to COVID-19 among Palestinian patients in Yatta city. An exploratory qualitative research design was employed with nine questions. In-depth interviews by telephone were conducted over a two week period, June 15 to June 30, 2020.Home quarantine in Yatta, Palestine.A random sample of adults from the lists of ‘positive cases’ published by the Preventive MedicineDepartment. One on one interviews were carried out involving a sample of 10 men and women, aged22-49 years.Despite individual differences, common themes of worried about family, no trust in the government, worried about self-isolation and coping intersected the data. Many interviewees were satisfied about their health status during home quarantinewhile the majority of the interviewees worried about their loss of income.This study provides insights into life and experiences of men and women while underhome quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. This period was stressful in many aspects such as acquiring reliable information, loss of income and worries about health.