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LCSS covid group illustration
Brighton & Sussex Medical School

Long Covid Stigma Scale

Long Covid Stigma Scale

We are delighted to share the Long Covid Stigma Scale (LCSS) for use by other researchers, service providers and civil society. If you do use this scale, we ask that you please:

  1. Email Dr Marija Pantelic (m.pantelic@bsms.ac.uk) if you have translated the scale into a different language so that we can help other researchers avoid duplication of work and save time; and
  2. Cite the original paper that reports on the development of the scale: Pantelic, M., Ziauddeen, N., Boyes, M., O’Hara, M. E., Hastie, C., & Alwan, N. A. (2022). Long Covid stigma: Estimating burden and validating scale in a UK-based sample. PLOS ONE, 17(11), e0277317. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277317 
BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

About LCSS

LCSS measures three types of stigma among people living with Long Covid: 

  1. Enacted stigma (experiences of being treated unfairly / discriminated against): questions 1-5
  2. Internalised stigma (internalised feelings of shame/inadequacy): questions 6-9
  3. Anticipated stigma (expected prejudice or discrimination from others): questions 10-13. 

Questions were co-produced with people living with Long Covid. The scale showed good psychometric properties in a UK cohort of adults living with Long Covid. 

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

LCSS questions

Please use this introductory vignette before moving onto the questions. This helps respondents understand that you are asking about their experiences rather than endorsing the stigma surrounding Long Covid: Many people with Long Covid experience stigma and discrimination, and some people internalise shame and are afraid of telling people about their symptoms. The following questions ask about experiences of stigma and shame since you have had Long Covid. These questions are around your experiences and feelings and your perceptions of how wider society perceives Long Covid.

Download the questions here >

Citation: Pantelic, M., Ziauddeen, N., Boyes, M., O’Hara, M. E., Hastie, C., & Alwan, N. A. (2022). Long Covid stigma: Estimating burden and validating scale in a UK-based sample. PLOS ONE, 17(11), e0277317. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277317