Measuring Beliefs and Norms About Persons With Alcohol Use Disorder
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
Survey experiment to estimate drivers of stigma toward people with alcohol use disorder
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Detailed Description
Despite significant advances in scientific understanding of substance use disorders accompanied by significant advances in treatment and improvements in prognosis, substance use disorder remains highly stigmatized throughout the world. Previous studies suggest that portraying alcohol use disorder as treatable can reduce negative attitudes toward persons with alcohol use disorder. This randomized controlled trial compares the effects of exposing study participants to vignettes portraying persons with untreated and symptomatic alcohol use disorder vs. treated alcohol use disorder with complete response vs. treated alcohol use disorder with relapse, with and without adverse economic impacts. It is hypothesized, based on prior work, that study participants exposed to vignettes depicting treated alcohol use disorder with completed response would have the greatest effect on reducing negative attitudes toward persons with alcohol use disorder, followed by treated alcohol use disorder with relapse and untreated and symptomatic alcohol use disorder, and that adverse economic impacts will exacerbate negative attitudes toward persons with alcohol use disorder.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| No Intervention: No intervention: V1: Control This version of the survey questionnaire depicts a young man with no symptoms of alcohol use disorder |
|
| Experimental: Experimental: V2: Alcohol Use Disorder As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific wording. This version of the survey questionnaire depicts a young man with symptomatic, untreated alcohol use disorder. |
Other: Survey questionnaire
Each version of the questionnaire portrays a young Ugandan man with different profiles of illness severity, treatment, and treatment response.
|
| Experimental: Experimental: V3: Alcohol Use Disorder + Treatment with Response As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific wording. This version of the survey questionnaire depicts a young man with symptomatic, untreated alcohol use disorder who is successfully treated with complete response. |
Other: Survey questionnaire
Each version of the questionnaire portrays a young Ugandan man with different profiles of illness severity, treatment, and treatment response.
|
| Experimental: Experimental: V4: Alcohol Use Disorder + Treatment with Relapse As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific wording. This version of the survey questionnaire depicts a young man with symptomatic, untreated alcohol use disorder who is successfully treated with partial relapse. |
Other: Survey questionnaire
Each version of the questionnaire portrays a young Ugandan man with different profiles of illness severity, treatment, and treatment response.
|
| Experimental: Experimental: V5: Alcohol Use Disorder + Economic Impact As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific wording. This version of the survey questionnaire depicts a young man with symptomatic, untreated alcohol use disorder whose untreated alcohol use disorder negatively affects his family's finances. |
Other: Survey questionnaire
Each version of the questionnaire portrays a young Ugandan man with different profiles of illness severity, treatment, and treatment response.
|
| Experimental: Experimental: V6: Alcohol Use Disorder + Economic Impact + Treatment with Response As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific wording. This version of the survey questionnaire depicts a young man with symptomatic, untreated alcohol use disorder whose untreated alcohol use disorder negatively affects his family's finances, who is then successfully treated with complete response. |
Other: Survey questionnaire
Each version of the questionnaire portrays a young Ugandan man with different profiles of illness severity, treatment, and treatment response.
|
| Experimental: Experimental: V7: Alcohol Use Disorder + Economic Impact + Treatment with Relapse As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific wording. This version of the survey questionnaire depicts a young man with symptomatic, untreated alcohol use disorder whose untreated alcohol use disorder negatively affects his family's finances, who is then successfully treated with partial relapse and continued negative economic impact. |
Other: Survey questionnaire
Each version of the questionnaire portrays a young Ugandan man with different profiles of illness severity, treatment, and treatment response.
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Social Distance [Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate)]
Willingness to have the man portrayed in the vignette to marry into the study participant's family (single item, culturally adapted instrument developed specifically for this study; response options yes/no)
- Perceived Norms about Social Distance [Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate)]
Study participant's perception of the extent to which other people would be willing to have the man portrayed in the vignette to marry into their families (single item, culturally adapted instrument developed specifically for this study; response options on a Likert-type scale: 1=all or almost all; 2=more than half but less than all; 3=fewer than half but more than no one; 4=very few or no one)
- Negative Attitudes (Attribution) [Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate)]
Personal belief that the symptoms of the man portrayed in the vignette represent divine punishment (single item, culturally adapted instrument developed specifically for this study; response options yes/no)
- Perceived Norms about Negative Attitudes (Attribution) [Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate)]
Study participant's perception of the extent to which other people believe that the symptoms of the man portrayed in the vignette represent divine punishment (single item, culturally adapted instrument developed specifically for this study; response options on a Likert-type scale: 1=all or almost all; 2=more than half but less than all; 3=fewer than half but more than no one; 4=very few or no one)
- Negative Attitudes (Shame) [Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate)]
Personal belief that the symptoms of the man portrayed in the vignette bring shame upon his family (single item, culturally adapted instrument developed specifically for this study; response options yes/no)
- Perceived Norms about Negative Attitudes (Shame) [Baseline (The experimental manipulation in this study has to do with which version of the survey the study participant receives, so the time frame for assessment is immediate)]
Study participant's perception of the extent to which other people believe that the symptoms of the man portrayed in the vignette bring shame upon his family (single item, culturally adapted instrument developed specifically for this study; response options on a Likert-type scale: 1=all or almost all; 2=more than half but less than all; 3=fewer than half but more than no one; 4=very few or no one)
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- All adults who consider Nyakabare their primary place of residence and who are capable of providing consent
Exclusion Criteria:
-
Minors younger than 18 years of age, with the exception of emancipated minors
-
Persons who do not consider Nyakabare Parish their primary place of residence, e.g., persons who happen to be visiting Nyakabare at the time of the survey or who own a home in Nyakabare but spend most of their time outside the parish
-
Persons with psychosis, neurological damage, acute intoxication, or other cognitive impairment (all of which are determined informally in the field by non-clinical research staff in consultation with a supervisor)
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mbarara University of Science and Technology | Mbarara | Uganda |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Alexander C Tsai, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- 2013P000395_1