Resilience to Stigma in Medical, Social, and Employment Contexts Among People Who Inject Drugs in Rural Ohio:...

People who inject drugs (PWID) experience stigma related to drug use and HIV prevention, which can impede engagement with the HIV prevention continuum. Resilience may buffer against stigma's harmful effects, but limited research has examined how resilience operates across different social contexts and stigma types among PWID. Using qualitative interviews and cognitive interviews, we adapted the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale to measure resilience to drug use-related stigma and HIV prevention-related stigma among PWID in rural Appalachian Ohio in three contexts: medical, social, and employment. To validate the scale adaptations, we administered a quantitative survey. We assessed internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha and fit Poisson regression models to test the association between high resilience and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness and overdose response training. Among the 250 PWID who completed the quantitative survey, the six resilience scales demonstrated strong internal consistency. Examining frequency distributions, Bland-Altman plots, and factor analysis, we found the resilience responses varied by stigma type and context. Results of regression models indicated high resilience to HIV prevention-related stigma in the medical context was associated with PrEP awareness (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 1.37; 95% CI 1.05, 1.80) and overdose response training (aPR: 1.31; 95% CI 1.07, 1.61). Our study provides a novel approach to measuring context-specific resilience to stigma among PWID. Findings highlight the importance of tailoring interventions to both individual resilience and structural stigma, particularly in medical settings. Enhancing resilience and reducing stigma may support greater engagement with HIV prevention and harm reduction services in rural communities.