ADDICTION STIGMA AMONG PEOPLE WITH OPIOID, AMPHETAMINE AND ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS
Authors: Chang *Chih-Cheng 
Published: February 2025

Background

While advocates and providers acknowledge stigma as a significant obstacle to the recovery of individuals with substance use disorders, there is a noticeable dearth of research on addiction stigma.

Aims & Objectives

This study aimed to investigate and compare the perceived stigma and self-stigma among patients with various substance use disorders in Taiwan.

Method

The total sample comprised 300 individuals diagnosed with opioid, amphetamine, or alcohol use disorders. Recruitment took place at both a general hospital and a mental hospital in southern Taiwan. A self-administered questionnaire, consisting of socio-demographic and stigma-related scales, was employed. Self-stigma was measured using the Self-Stigma Scale, while perceived stigma was assessed with the Perceived Stigma of Addiction Scale. To compare the characteristics, perceived stigma, and self-stigma among participants across the three groups, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilized for continuous variables, and chi-square tests were applied for categorical variables.

Results

The results indicated that individuals with opioid use disorder or amphetamine use disorder experienced higher levels of perceived stigma compared to those with alcohol use disorder. Specifically, the opioid group exhibited higher levels of self-stigma than the amphetamine group, while the amphetamine group demonstrated higher levels of self-stigma than the alcohol group.

Discussion & Conclusion

The findings offer evidence regarding the nature and extent of perceived stigma and self-stigma reported by individuals with substance use disorders in Taiwan. Levels of both self- stigma and perceived stigma were notably higher among individuals with opioid use disorder compared to those with other substance use disorders and mental disorders. To address these variations, mental health professionals should employ diverse interventions tailored to reduce perceived stigma and self- stigma across different substance use disorder populations. Individuals with opioid use disorder may require heightened clinical attention to monitor both their stigma levels and associated psychological symptoms.

References

Corrigan, P. et al. (2017) 'Developing a research agenda for understanding the stigma of addictions. Part I: lessons from the mental health stigma literature', The American journal on addictions, 26(1), pp. 59– 66.

Chang, K. C. et al. (2022) 'Comparisons of psychological distress and self-stigma among three types of substance use disorders receiving treatment-as-usual approaches: real-world data from a 9-month longitudinal study', Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease, 13, doi:10.1177/20406223221140393. Fung, X.C.C. et al. (2022) 'Stigma and Quality of Life in Substance Users: Methods and Applications', in Patel, V.B. and Preedy, V.R. (eds.) Handbook of Substance Misuse and Addictions. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 1–36.

Hammarlund, R. et al. (2018) 'Review of the effects of self-stigma and perceived social stigma on the treatment-seeking decisions of individuals with drug-and alcohol-use disorders', Substance abuse and rehabilitation, 9, pp. 115–136