Social Stigma toward Persons with Opioid Use Disorder: Results from a Nationally Representative Survey of U.S. Adults

Abstract

Background: This study seeks to understand the general adult population’s knowledge, attitudes, and stigma towards opioid use disorder (OUD), people with histories of opioid misuse, and policies related to OUD. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional national survey of the U.S. adult population, using AmeriSpeak’s® web, probability-based panel. The number of participants were 947 (493 females and 454 males) general population adults ages 19 –89 years old who completed a self-report survey covering: social stigma of OUD, opioid policy attitudes, perceptions of OUD as a crime, knowledge and beliefs about opioids and treatment, personal experience with opioids and the criminal justice (CJ) system, and demographics. Results: Thirteen percent self-reported ever misusing opioids, 3% reported an opioid overdose, and 14% reported personal experience with the CJ system. On average, the general adult population moderately endorses stigmatizing behaviors, agrees that OUD is a medical condition, agrees with policies to increase access to OUD treatment, and is less likely to endorse OUD as a crime. Having a disregard for OUD as a medical condition was most associated with higher levels of stigma, endorsing OUD as a crime, and disagreeing with policies to help people access OUD treatment. Conclusions: Our data provide guidance to policymakers concerning individuals with certain characteristics to target for public education efforts to reduce stigma and draw more support for public heath interventions for OUD. Our data also suggest that the content of this education should include improving understanding of OUD as a medical condition.

Keywords:

• Opioids
• social stigma
• national sample
• general public
• substance use

Declaration of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Notes

1 The respondent will see/hear a hover definition (in blue font) for this term: Please note that Medicaid provides health coverage to eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. Medicaid is funded and administered by states, according to federal requirements.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by grant 1U2CDA050098-01 via a subcontract, AWD100228, with the University of Chicago. Funding came from the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN), protocol approval number JCOIN 026. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the policies of NIDA. NIDA staff worked with the study investigators on the study research questions, measures and research design but had no involvement in the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data, in the writing of this report, or in the decision to submit this article for publication.