In-depth interviews with 15 people in Thailand identified five COVID-19 recovery themes: stress, economic/social disruption, stigma, social support and reappraisal of adversity to find meaning.
Key findings
- Five superordinate themes were stress, economic/social disruption, social stigma, social support and “finding meaning in misfortune.” Accounts showed evolving adaptation shaped by contextual pressures and relational resources.
Why this matters globally
The study supports pandemic responses that integrate physical health with income, relationships and stigma and use lived experience in service design.
Thai researcher contribution
Researchers from Asia-Pacific International University and the Thai Red Cross generated context-rich qualitative evidence from Thailand.
Limitations to consider
The 15 purposive/snowball participants may reflect selective experience and online access. Retrospective accounts carry recall bias, and themes are neither prevalence nor causal estimates.