Shifting the Paradigm for Opioid Use Disorder: Changing the Language

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Addiction Medicine
• Linguistics

Background:

• Rising opioid-related morbidity and mortality highlight a major public health epidemic.
• Current interventions have not curbed the increasing rates of opioid-related harm.
• Barriers to evidence-based pharmacotherapies, including stigma, impede effective treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the language used to describe opioid use disorder (OUD).
• To assess the language surrounding pharmacological treatments for OUD.
• To advocate for non-stigmatizing, patient-centered communication in OUD care.

Main Methods:

• Literature review on OUD terminology.
• Analysis of language in clinical guidelines and patient materials.
• Qualitative assessment of stigmatizing versus non-stigmatizing terms.

Main Results:

• Identified prevalent stigmatizing language in descriptions of OUD and its treatments.
• Demonstrated how language can perpetuate negative perceptions and create treatment barriers.
• Highlighted the need for a shift towards person-first, non-judgmental terminology.

Conclusions:

• Stigma is a significant, yet often overlooked, barrier to OUD pharmacotherapy.
• Nurse practitioners should lead the adoption of patient-centered, non-stigmatizing language.
• Implementing such language is vital for improving patient engagement and treatment outcomes.