Abstract

Background: This study seeks to understand the general adult population’s knowledge, attitudes, and stigma towards opioid use disorder (OUD), people with histories of opioid misuse, and policies related to OUD. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional national survey of the U.S. adult population, using AmeriSpeak’s® web, probability-based panel. The number of participants were 947 (493 females and 454 males) general population adults ages 19 –89 years old who completed a self-report survey covering: social stigma of OUD, opioid policy attitudes, perceptions of OUD as a crime, knowledge and beliefs about opioids and treatment, personal experience with opioids and the criminal justice (CJ) system, and demographics. Results: Thirteen percent self-reported ever misusing opioids, 3% reported an opioid overdose, and 14% reported personal experience with the CJ system. On average, the general adult population moderately endorses stigmatizing behaviors, agrees that OUD is a medical condition, agrees with policies to increase access to OUD treatment, and is less likely to endorse OUD as a crime. Having a disregard for OUD as a medical condition was most associated with higher levels of stigma, endorsing OUD as a crime, and disagreeing with policies to help people access OUD treatment. Conclusions: Our data provide guidance to policymakers concerning individuals with certain characteristics to target for public education efforts to reduce stigma and draw more support for public heath interventions for OUD. Our data also suggest that the content of this education should include improving understanding of OUD as a medical condition.

 抽象的

背景：本研究旨在了解一般成年人对阿片类药物使用障碍 (OUD) 的知识、态度和耻辱感、有阿片类药物滥用史的人以及与 OUD 相关的政策。方法：我们使用 AmeriSpeak's® 网络、基于概率的小组对美国成年人口进行了一项横断面的全国调查。参与者人数为 947 名（493 名女性和 454 名男性）年龄在 19 至 89 岁之间的普通成年人，他们完成了自我报告调查，调查内容包括： OUD 的社会耻辱、阿片类药物政策态度、 OUD 作为犯罪的看法、知识和信仰关于阿片类药物和治疗、阿片类药物的个人经验和刑事司法 (CJ) 系统以及人口统计。结果： 13% 的人自我报告曾经滥用阿片类药物，3% 的人报告阿片类药物过量，14% 的人报告个人使用 CJ 系统的经历。平均而言，一般成年人适度支持污名化行为，同意 OUD 是一种医疗状况，同意增加 OUD 治疗机会的政策，并且不太可能将 OUD 视为犯罪。忽视 OUD 作为一种医疗状况与更高程度的耻辱感最相关，将 OUD 视为犯罪，以及不同意帮助人们获得 OUD 治疗的政策。结论：我们的数据为政策制定者提供了有关具有某些特征的个人的指导，以开展公共教育工作，以减少耻辱并为 OUD 的公共卫生干预措施争取更多支持。我们的数据还表明，这种教育的内容应包括提高对 OUD 作为一种医疗状况的理解。