Patterns of Felt Stigma Among Rural-Dwelling People Who Use Drugs: A Latent Class Analysis

Rural people who use drugs experience substance use stigma in distinct severity-based patterns, with four classes ranging from low to high stigma across all dimensions. A fifth, smaller class reports high internalized stigma despite low perceived stigma from others, potentially suggesting non-disclosure of substance use. These distinct profiles and their correlates offer targets for tailored stigma interventions.