Zachary W Adams1, Bruce G Taylor2, Elizabeth Flanagan2, Elizabeth Kwon3, Annalee V Johnson-Kwochka3, Katherine S Elkington4, Jennifer E Becan5, Matthew C Aalsma3. 1. Adolescent Behavioral Health Research Program, Indiana University, School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana. Electronic address: zwadams@iu.edu. 2. Public Health Department, NORC at the University of Chicago, Bethesda, Maryland. 3. Adolescent Behavioral Health Research Program, Indiana University, School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana. 4. Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York City, New York. 5. Institute of Behavioral Research, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas.
Abstract
PURPOSE: A small fraction of people with opioid use disorder (OUD) receives appropriate care. Public opinion about addiction contributes to the availability and accessibility of effective treatment services. Little is known about such attitudes toward OUD among young adults, a population at heightened risk for OUD onset. The current study examined endorsement of social stigma, discrimination, and policy attitudes about OUD and hypothesized correlates of such attitudes (familiarity with OUD, criminal justice involvement, respondent demographic characteristics). METHODS: A national sample of 190 young adults (weighted n = 408; 69% female, 42% White, non-Hispanic) aged 19-29 years completed web and telephone surveys covering opioid social stigma, discrimination, policy attitudes, personal experience with opioids, and criminal justice, and participant characteristics (age, sex, race, education, employment, income). Linear regressions were performed to examine associations between respondent characteristics and attitudes. RESULTS: Young adults, on average, endorsed moderate levels of stigma and discrimination toward people with OUD and support for treatment-oriented policies. Stigma was positively associated with discrimination and negatively associated with support for policies favorable to people with OUD. Regression results revealed that more negative attitudes toward OUD were endorsed as a function of older age and less personal experience or familiarity with OUD. CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity in young adults' attitudes about OUD may be explained, in part, by personal characteristics and familiarity with OUD. Adolescence may be an opportune developmental period to prevent or reduce public stigma related to OUD and MOUD and increase public attitudes in support of expanded access to effective OUD treatments.
PURPOSE: A small fraction of people with opioid use disorder (OUD) receives appropriate care. Public opinion about addiction contributes to the availability and accessibility of effective treatment services. Little is known about such attitudes toward OUD among young adults, a population at heightened risk for OUD onset. The current study examined endorsement of social stigma, discrimination, and policy attitudes about OUD and hypothesized correlates of such attitudes (familiarity with OUD, criminal justice involvement, respondent demographic characteristics). METHODS: A national sample of 190 young adults (weighted n = 408; 69% female, 42% White, non-Hispanic) aged 19-29 years completed web and telephone surveys covering opioid social stigma, discrimination, policy attitudes, personal experience with opioids, and criminal justice, and participant characteristics (age, sex, race, education, employment, income). Linear regressions were performed to examine associations between respondent characteristics and attitudes. RESULTS: Young adults, on average, endorsed moderate levels of stigma and discrimination toward people with OUD and support for treatment-oriented policies. Stigma was positively associated with discrimination and negatively associated with support for policies favorable to people with OUD. Regression results revealed that more negative attitudes toward OUD were endorsed as a function of older age and less personal experience or familiarity with OUD. CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneity in young adults' attitudes about OUD may be explained, in part, by personal characteristics and familiarity with OUD. Adolescence may be an opportune developmental period to prevent or reduce public stigma related to OUD and MOUD and increase public attitudes in support of expanded access to effective OUD treatments.
Authors: Magdalena Kulesza; Mauri Matsuda; Jason J Ramirez; Alexandra J Werntz; Bethany A Teachman; Kristen P Lindgren Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2016-10-21 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Joshua D Lee; Peter D Friedmann; Timothy W Kinlock; Edward V Nunes; Tamara Y Boney; Randall A Hoskinson; Donna Wilson; Ryan McDonald; John Rotrosen; Marc N Gourevitch; Michael Gordon; Marc Fishman; Donna T Chen; Richard J Bonnie; James W Cornish; Sean M Murphy; Charles P O'Brien Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2016-03-31 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Scott E Hadland; Sarah M Bagley; Jonathan Rodean; Michael Silverstein; Sharon Levy; Marc R Larochelle; Jeffrey H Samet; Bonnie T Zima Journal: JAMA Pediatr Date: 2018-11-01 Impact factor: 16.193
Authors: Kevin E Vowles; Mindy L McEntee; Peter Siyahhan Julnes; Tessa Frohe; John P Ney; David N van der Goes Journal: Pain Date: 2015-04 Impact factor: 6.961
Authors: Qinyun Lin; Marynia Kolak; Beth Watts; Luc Anselin; Harold Pollack; John Schneider; Bruce Taylor Journal: Soc Sci Med Date: 2022-05-14 Impact factor: 5.379
Authors: Maria Pyra; Bruce Taylor; Elizabeth Flanagan; Anna Hotton; O'Dell Johnson; Phoebe Lamuda; John Schneider; Harold A Pollack Journal: Prev Med Date: 2022-03-23 Impact factor: 4.637