Reducing stigma towards substance users through an educational intervention: harder than it looks

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Stigma towards individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) is prevalent in US culture.
• Prejudicial attitudes among healthcare practitioners create barriers to accessing care and treatment.
• Reducing stigma is crucial for improving healthcare outcomes for those with SUD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To decrease stigmatizing attitudes in graduate healthcare professional students.
• To evaluate an innovative curriculum combining diverse teaching methods.

Main Methods:

• A 3-hour educational intervention was delivered to physician assistant students.
• Methods included lectures, discussions, interaction with a person in recovery, film, and self-reflection.
• Attitude changes were assessed using the Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ) and written reflections, with a follow-up focus group.

Main Results:

• A small, statistically significant improvement in attitudes towards heroin use was observed (p<0.007), but overall attitudes remained negative.
• No significant change in attitudes towards alcohol use was detected.
• Written reflections and focus groups indicated persistent stigma among students, who believed it was common among professionals but would not affect their own practice.

Conclusions:

• The educational intervention did not substantially reduce negative attitudes towards substance use disorders.
• Persistent stigma suggests current educational approaches are insufficient.
• A novel strategy is required to effectively alter healthcare professionals' stigma towards substance users.