TY - JOUR
T1 - Naloxone Stigma among People Who Use Drugs
T2 - Characteristics and Associations with Stigma Toward Medication for Opioid Use Disorder
AU - Banks, Devin E.
AU - Li, Xiao
AU - Park, Brandon
AU - Winograd, Rachel P.
AU - Cavazos-Rehg, Patricia
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2024 American Society of Addiction Medicine.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Objectives: Widespread naloxone distribution is key to mitigating opioid-relatedmorbidity, but stigma remains a barrier. Naloxone stigma among providers, emergency responders, and the public is welldocumented and associated with treatment and policy preferences, but little is known about naloxone stigma among people who use drugs (PWUD), who may be overdose first responders. This study examines naloxone stigma, its correlates, and its association with stigma toward medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) among PWUD. Methods: We recruited 293 individuals with a history of substance misuse from facilities that provide substance use and/or health care services (retained n = 195, 54% women, 75% White). Participants completed self-report measures, including the 5-item Naloxone-Related Risk Compensation Beliefs scale. Results: One in 5 respondents agreed with beliefs that access to naloxone leads to more opioid use and less treatment seeking and is "enabling."Those with nonopioid drug misuse, without prior overdose, and with fewer recovery attempts endorsed more naloxone stigma. Opioid misuse, prior overdose, and MOUD utilization were also inversely associated with MOUD stigma. There were no demographic differences in either stigma type. Naloxone stigma was positively associated with MOUD stigma in adjusted models. Conclusions: This is the first study to quantitatively examine naloxone stigma among PWUD. Findings emphasize the potential role of overdose education and naloxone distribution among those earlier in the substance use disorder course and who use nonopioid drugs. They support integrating MOUD stigma interventions into current overdose education and naloxone distribution targeted at PWUD to increase the acceptance and uptake of both medications.
AB - Objectives: Widespread naloxone distribution is key to mitigating opioid-relatedmorbidity, but stigma remains a barrier. Naloxone stigma among providers, emergency responders, and the public is welldocumented and associated with treatment and policy preferences, but little is known about naloxone stigma among people who use drugs (PWUD), who may be overdose first responders. This study examines naloxone stigma, its correlates, and its association with stigma toward medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) among PWUD. Methods: We recruited 293 individuals with a history of substance misuse from facilities that provide substance use and/or health care services (retained n = 195, 54% women, 75% White). Participants completed self-report measures, including the 5-item Naloxone-Related Risk Compensation Beliefs scale. Results: One in 5 respondents agreed with beliefs that access to naloxone leads to more opioid use and less treatment seeking and is "enabling."Those with nonopioid drug misuse, without prior overdose, and with fewer recovery attempts endorsed more naloxone stigma. Opioid misuse, prior overdose, and MOUD utilization were also inversely associated with MOUD stigma. There were no demographic differences in either stigma type. Naloxone stigma was positively associated with MOUD stigma in adjusted models. Conclusions: This is the first study to quantitatively examine naloxone stigma among PWUD. Findings emphasize the potential role of overdose education and naloxone distribution among those earlier in the substance use disorder course and who use nonopioid drugs. They support integrating MOUD stigma interventions into current overdose education and naloxone distribution targeted at PWUD to increase the acceptance and uptake of both medications.
KW - drug misuse
KW - medication for opioid use disorder
KW - naloxone
KW - opioid-related disorders
KW - social stigma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85203329867&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/ADM.0000000000001377
DO - 10.1097/ADM.0000000000001377
M3 - Article
C2 - 39235293
AN - SCOPUS:85203329867
SN - 1932-0620
JO - Journal of Addiction Medicine
JF - Journal of Addiction Medicine
M1 - 10.1097/ADM.0000000000001377
ER -