Gender identity, stimulant drug use, and criminal justice history on internalized stigma among a nationally representative sample of adults who misuse opioids

Summary

The rise of fatal stimulant use among adults who use opioids is a public health problem. Internalized stigma is a barrier to substance use treatment, which is greater for women and populations with criminal justice involvement. Using a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States from a probability-based survey on household opinions in 2021, we investigated factors associated with internalized stigma. Analyses showed that internalized stigma between women and men who misuse opioids differed based on stimulant use and criminal justice involvement. Future research should assess whether internalized stigma influences treatment utilization among women with criminal justice involvement.

Associated JCOIN Study Title: AmeriSpeak Brief Opioid Stigma Survey (026)

Publication Year: 2023

Lead Author: Amelia Bailey

Journal: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

Publication Type(s): Survey Finding, Stigma