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January 31, 2024
A recent study conducted at the University of Michigan sheds light on a concerning trend – a significant number of individuals choose to conceal infectious illnesses to avoid missing work, travel, or social events. Published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, the research exposes the extent to which people, both healthy and sick, opt to hide their illnesses from others.
In a series of studies involving 4,110 participants, approximately 75% admitted to either concealing an infectious illness at least once or expressing the intent to do so in the future. The participants, including over 61% of healthcare workers, disclosed engaging in various social interactions while secretly sick, such as boarding planes and going on dates.
Lead author Wilson N. Merrell, a doctoral candidate, highlighted a noteworthy disparity between how healthy individuals believe they would act when ill and the actual behavior of those who are sick. “Healthy people forecasted that they would be unlikely to hide harmful illnesses… but actively sick people reported high levels of concealment regardless of how harmful their illness was to others,” stated Merrell.
In one study, university healthcare employees and students reported concealing symptoms due to conflicting social plans or institutional policies, with over 70% engaging in such behavior. Another study involved 946 participants imagining being sick in various social situations, revealing that individuals were more likely to hide their sickness when symptoms were less severe.
Merrell emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced participants’ attitudes toward concealing illnesses. Future research aims to explore how ecological factors and medical advancements, including vaccines, impact disease-related behavior.
The findings hold significant public health implications, prompting a deeper understanding of the motivations and tradeoffs individuals make in social interactions when unwell. Merrell concluded, “Solutions to the problem of disease concealment may need to rely on more than just individual good will,” recognizing the complex interplay between societal expectations, personal motivations, and the potential consequences of infectious illnesses.
