Is living close to a drug treatment centre associated with stigma?

Multiple studies have documented stigma towards people who use drugs, but a less well studied aspect of stigmatisation is the phenomenon known as "not in my backyard," The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between living near a drug treatment centre and the degree of perceived public stigma, as well as to identify differences among sociodemographic profiles.

Based on the Barcelona Health Survey (N=3270), public stigma was defined as scores at or above the 66th percentile of an index of 2 questions on the general population's perceptions of people who use drugs as failures and as dangerous (Cronbach's alpha = 0.84). Survey participants were categorised into 3 areas based on their proximity to a drug treatment centre: in a buffer within 150 metres, between 150 and 300-metres, and the rest of the city. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between perceived public stigma and spatial proximity to a drug treatment centre, as well as variations among sociodemographic profiles.

Living within 150 metres of a drug treatment centre increased the probability of perceived public stigma (odds ratio=1.85 95%CI 1.12-3.07). At the city level, higher public stigma was associated with the older population, those with a lower educational level, and those born in a low-income country. However, the increase in public stigma within the 150-metre buffer was driven by groups that showed low levels of stigma at the city level.

Public stigma in the city is high and increases with proximity to a drug treatment centre, especially among groups that exhibit low levels of stigma at the city level. Identifying social groups showing high levels of "not in my back yard"-related stigma may help to redesign harm reduction interventions focusing on specific groups.