**Background:** The COVID-19 pandemic has provoked fear and stigma globally, leading to social discrimination against both individuals with confirmed COVID-19 and healthcare workers (HCWs) caring for them. Discriminatory behaviors include denial of infection, concealment of diagnosis, and refusal of testing. HCWs face additional burden due to fear of transmitting infection and public perception as vectors of disease. This study aimed to investigate perceptions of social discrimination and coping strategies, and explore predictors of these outcomes among HCWs and individuals with confirmed COVID-19 in Jordan.
**Methods:** A cross-sectional descriptive-comparative design was used. Data were collected via a web-based self-reported survey from a convenience sample of 105 individuals with confirmed COVID-19 and 109 HCWs in Jordan. Inclusion criteria for HCWs were providing direct care to COVID-19 patients; those who reported being infected were excluded. For the general public, eligibility required age ≥18 years, ability to read Arabic, and access to survey software. Those with physical, mental, or cognitive disabilities were excluded. Social discrimination was measured using an author-developed scale, and coping was measured using the FANTASTIC survey (17 items, 9 domains). The FANTASTIC scale demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach's alpha r = 0.88). Data were analyzed using IBM-SPSS v.25 with t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple logistic regression. Ethical approval was granted (reference number 113/132/2020).
**Key Results:** Individuals with confirmed COVID-19 (mean age 34 years, SD=10.4; 54% male) reported significantly higher social discrimination than HCWs (mean age 33.7 years, SD=7.6; 57.8% female) (t = 2.62, p < 0.01). The total mean discrimination score for individuals with COVID-19 was 2.64 (SD=0.867) versus 2.07 (SD=0.19) for HCWs. The highest discrimination items for patients were "People insulted me for being diagnosed with the Coronavirus" (M=3.87, SD=0.856) and "I have not had any problems due to Coronavirus diagnosis" (M=3.66, SD=1.192). Conversely, HCWs reported significantly higher coping scores than individuals with COVID-19 (t = -3.91, p < 0.001). The total mean coping score for HCWs was 51.8 (SD=0.86) versus 34.3 (SD=1.19) for patients. The highest coping items for HCWs were "I am satisfied with my job or role" (M=4.28, SD=0.859) and "I give and receive affection" (M=4.14, SD=0.976). Multiple regression analysis identified four significant predictors of coping: educational level (B=0.541, p < 0.001), age (B=0.187, p=0.007), monthly income (B=-0.338, p < 0.001), and taking over-the-counter medication (B=0.54, p < 0.001). For discrimination perception, significant predictors were educational level (B=-0.447, p < 0.001), age (B=-0.162, p=0.02), monthly income (B=0.452, p < 0.001), and taking over-the-counter medication (B=0.447, p < 0.001). Both regression models were significant (coping: F=14.88, p=0.001; discrimination: F=14.21, p=0.001).
**Clinical Implications:** The findings demonstrate that individuals with COVID-19 experience greater social discrimination and have poorer coping abilities compared to HCWs. Higher education and older age were associated with better coping and less perceived discrimination, while higher income paradoxically predicted more discrimination. HCWs' better coping may stem from professional training and learned adaptation skills. These results underscore the need for: (1) psychological skills training for both patients and HCWs as part of treatment protocols, (2) peer and organizational support for HCWs to manage job burden and discrimination, (3) public media campaigns to combat stigma, and (4) policy reforms to support HCWs during pandemics. Limitations include the cross-sectional design limiting causal inference and potential recall bias from self-report data.