Unraveling Stigma Toward Persons With Substance Use Disorder: Instructional Design, Implementation, and Outcomes of an Interprofessional Workshop

Background One of the most potent barriers to treatment for substance use disorder (SUD) is stigma. Stigmatizing beliefs and attitudes by health care practitioners can negatively impact diagnosis, referral, and treatment. We implemented an interprofessional workshop using best practice principles of instructional design intended to reduce stigmatizing beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors among health professionals. Methods Stigma Unraveled/Addiction Unmasked was a 5.5‐h interprofessional workshop conducted six times between May 2024 and January 2025. The workshops included instruction about the sources and consequences of stigma, personal reflection, participant‐to‐participant interaction, case studies, and direct contact with individuals with lived experience. Participants were asked to complete a 91‐item pre‐workshop (before) and 54‐item post‐workshop (3 months after) questionnaire containing items from the Shatterproof Addiction Stigma Index measuring desire for social distance, attitudes, and beliefs toward persons with a SUD (stimulants, alcohol, or opioids). The questionnaire also included items related to knowledge and public policy. Results A total of 214 individuals from 8 health professions participated in the workshops with 66 participants completing both the pre and post‐workshop questionnaires (matched cohort). Comparing the pre and post‐workshop responses from the matched cohort, there were significant reductions in the desire for social distance (27.0 ± 5.7 to 23.2 ± 6.5; p < 0.01; d = 0.62), stigmatizing beliefs (14.8 ± 4.7 to 12.1 ± 4.2; p < 0.01; d = 0.61), stigmatizing attitudes (13.8 ± 3.0 to 11.8 ± 3.4; p = 0.01; d = 0.62), and stigmatizing behavior (14.8 ± 4.1 to 12.8 ± 3.6; p = 0.04; d = 0.52) composite scores, as well as improvements in knowledge related to screening for SUD, stigmatizing language, and medication therapy. There was a high level of agreement for public policies to support individuals with SUD at baseline, with no change following the workshop. Conclusions The Stigma Unraveled/Addiction Unmasked interprofessional workshop prompted meaningful and statistically significant changes in participant beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge.