Identifying Populations with High Opioid Use Disorder Public Stigma: Results from a Multi-State Survey

The United States is facing an ongoing opioid epidemic. Despite tragic outcomes and the availability of effective treatments, only a small proportion of people with opioid use disorder (OUD) receive care. A primary barrier to treatment is public stigma. This study surveyed the general population in 13 states to explore characteristics and subpopulations associated with high OUD stigma, with the goal of informing community anti-stigma education strategies in the U.S. South. A sample of 1,676 respondents were surveyed using the Opening Minds Provider Attitudes Towards Opioid Use Scale (OM-PATOS), and results were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Findings showed that being married, being in a mental-health-related profession, and having higher perceived stress were associated with higher stigma scores, while being female or having a history of a behavioral health problem oneself or in one’s family was associated with lower stigma. Particularly concerning was the finding that mental professionals held significantly higher stigmatizing beliefs, highlighting that outreach to health clinics, mental health centers, pharmacies, and related agencies is needed in community-based anti-stigma campaigns. The study results suggest that community-based anti-stigma programming should target groups with high proportions of men and combine this education with content aimed at stress management. The findings also indicate that organizational partnerships in which members are likely to have low stigma, such as mental health and substance use advocacy groups, would benefit from anti-OUD-stigma efforts