Strategies to Reduce Addiction Stigma Among Health Professionals
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exposure to stigma reduction message frames communicated by visual campaigns and narrative vignettes among a national sample of health professionals.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Detailed Description
This randomized experiment evaluated the impact of exposure to message frames communicating the importance of non-stigmatizing language regarding addiction and the effectiveness of medication treatment for opioid use disorder delivered through a visual campaign alone or through a visual campaign in addition to a narrative vignette from the perspective of one of three messengers (a person with opioid use disorder, a clinician, or a health system leader) on attitudes toward people with opioid use disorder and medications for treating opioid use disorder among a national sample of health professionals.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| No Intervention: No exposure control group This group was not exposed to any message frame. |
|
| Experimental: Words Matter - Visual Campaign Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a visual campaign communicating the importance of use of non-stigmatizing language regarding substance use disorder and opioid use disorder in clinical settings. |
Behavioral: Words Matter - Visual Campaign
Visual campaign emphasizing the importance of using non-stigmatizing language related to substance use and opioid use disorder in clinical settings.
|
| Experimental: Words Matter - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Messenger: Person with Opioid Use Disorder) Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a visual campaign communicating the importance of use of non-stigmatizing language regarding substance use disorder and opioid use disorder in clinical settings and a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a person with opioid use disorder. |
Behavioral: Words Matter - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Messenger: Person with Opioid Use Disorder) Experimental: Words Matter - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Messenger: Clinician)
Visual campaign emphasizing the importance of using non-stigmatizing language related to substance use and opioid use disorder in clinical settings combined with a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a person with opioid use disorder
|
| Experimental: Words Matter - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Messenger: Clinician) Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a visual campaign communicating the importance of use of non-stigmatizing language regarding substance use disorder and opioid use disorder in clinical settings and a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a clinician. |
Behavioral: Words Matter - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Messenger: Clinician)
Visual campaign emphasizing the importance of using non-stigmatizing language related to substance use and opioid use disorder in clinical settings combined with a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a clinician working with patients with opioid use disorder
|
| Experimental: Words Matter - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Messenger: Health System Administrator) Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a visual campaign communicating the importance of use of non-stigmatizing language regarding substance use disorder and opioid use disorder in clinical settings and a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a health system administrator/leader. |
Behavioral: Words Matter - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Messenger: Health System Administrator)
Visual campaign emphasizing the importance of using non-stigmatizing language related to substance use and opioid use disorder in clinical settings combined with a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a health system administrator/leader
|
| Experimental: Medication Treatment Works - Visual Campaign Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a visual campaign communicating the effectiveness of medications for treating opioid use disorder in saving lives. |
Behavioral: Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Works - Visual Campaign
Visual campaign emphasizing the effectiveness and value of medications to treat opioid use disorder in saving lives
|
| Experimental: Medication Treatment Works - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Person with OUD) Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a visual campaign communicating the effectiveness of medications for treating opioid use disorder in saving lives and a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a person with opioid use disorder. |
Behavioral: Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Works - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Messenger: Person with Opioid Use Disorder)
Visual campaign emphasizing the effectiveness and value of medications to treat opioid use disorder in saving lives combined with a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a person with opioid use disorder
|
| Experimental: Medication Treatment Works - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Clinician) Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a visual campaign communicating the effectiveness of medications for treating opioid use disorder in saving lives and a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a clinician. |
Behavioral: Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Works - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Messenger: Clinician)
Visual campaign emphasizing the effectiveness and value of medications to treat opioid use disorder in saving lives combined with a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a clinician who treats people with opioid use disorder
|
| Experimental: Medication Treatment Works - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Health System Administrator) Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a visual campaign communicating the effectiveness of medications for treating opioid use disorder in saving lives and a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a health system administrator/leader. |
Behavioral: Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Works - Visual Campaign & Narrative Vignette (Messenger: Health System Administrator)
Visual campaign emphasizing the effectiveness and value of medications to treat opioid use disorder in saving lives combined with a narrative vignette told from the perspective of a health system administrator/leader
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Rating of willingness to have person with opioid use disorder marry into their family [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 5 indicating greater unwillingness and 1 indicating greater willingness to have a person with opioid use disorder marry into the family. Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Rating of willingness to have person with opioid use disorder as a neighbor [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 5 indicating greater unwillingness and 1 indicating greater willingness to have a person with opioid use disorder as a neighbor. Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Rating of agreement that opioid use disorder is a medical condition [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement with statement "Opioid use disorder is a chronic medical condition like diabetes mellitus" on 5-point Likert scale with 5 indicating strong disagreement and 1 indicating strong agreement. Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Rating of agreement that individuals with opioid use disorder are to blame [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement with statement "Individuals with opioid use disorder only have themselves to blame for their problem" on 5-point Likert scale with 5 indicating strong disagreement and 1 indicating strong agreement. Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Rating of support for increasing government spending on opioid use disorder treatment [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of support for increasing government spending on treatment of opioid use disorder with 5 indicating strongly favoring and 1 indicating strongly opposing. Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Feeling thermometer measure of warmth toward people with opioid use disorder [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of warmth felt toward people with opioid use disorder with 0 indicating extremely cold and 100 indicating extremely warm. Measured via survey questionnaire.
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Stigmatizing Language - Addict [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement that term "addict" appropriate in a clinical care setting with 1 indicating strongly agree (that term is appropriate) and 5 indicating strongly disagree (that term is appropriate). Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Stigmatizing Language - Substance abuse [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement that term "substance abuse" appropriate in a clinical care setting with 1 indicating strongly agree (that term is appropriate) and 5 indicating strongly disagree (that term is appropriate). Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Stigmatizing Language - dirty [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement that term "'dirty' in reference to the result from a drug test" appropriate in a clinical care setting with 1 indicating strongly agree (that term is appropriate) and 5 indicating strongly disagree (that term is appropriate). Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Stigmatizing Language - clean [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement that term "'clean' in reference to the result from a drug test" appropriate in a clinical care setting with 1 indicating strongly agree (that term is appropriate) and 5 indicating strongly disagree (that term is appropriate). Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Stigmatizing Language - addicted baby [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement that term "addicted baby" appropriate in a clinical care setting with 1 indicating strongly agree (that term is appropriate) and 5 indicating strongly disagree (that term is appropriate). Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Stigmatizing Language - person with substance use disorder [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement that term "person with substance use disorder" appropriate in a clinical care setting with 1 indicating strongly agree (that term is appropriate) and 5 indicating strongly disagree (that term is appropriate). Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Stigmatizing Language - substance use [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement that term "substance use" appropriate in a clinical care setting with 1 indicating strongly agree (that term is appropriate) and 5 indicating strongly disagree (that term is appropriate). Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Stigmatizing Language - negative test result [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement that term "negative test result" appropriate in a clinical care setting with 1 indicating strongly agree (that term is appropriate) and 5 indicating strongly disagree (that term is appropriate). Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Stigmatizing Language - positive test result [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement that term "positive test result" appropriate in a clinical care setting with 1 indicating strongly agree (that term is appropriate) and 5 indicating strongly disagree (that term is appropriate). Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Stigmatizing Language - baby born with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement that term "baby born with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome" appropriate in a clinical care setting with 1 indicating strongly agree (that term is appropriate) and 5 indicating strongly disagree (that term is appropriate). Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Willingness to sign pledge committing to using non-stigmatizing language [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Binary (yes/no) measure of whether participant is willing to sign a pledge committing to using non-stigmatizing language related to substance use disorder in clinical settings. Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Perception of opioid use disorder treatment effectiveness [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Participant perception of whether there is a treatment for opioid use disorder that is effective for a long period of time (three close-ended response options: yes, there is a treatment; no, there isn't such a treatment; don't know). Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Rating of willingness to have person taking medication marry into their family [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of willingness to have person taking medication to treat opioid use disorder marry into family. Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 5 indicating greater unwillingness and 1 indicating greater willingness to have a person taking medication to treat opioid use disorder marry into the family. Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Rating of willingness to have person taking medication marry as a neighbor [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of willingness to have person taking medication to treat opioid use disorder as a neighbor. Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 5 indicating greater unwillingness and 1 indicating greater willingness to have a person taking medication to treat opioid use disorder as a neighbor. Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Rating of strength/weakness of person taking medication [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of strength/weakness of person taking medication to treat opioid use disorder on 5-point Likert scale with 5 indicating strong and 1 indicating weak. This is a semantic differential measure. Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Rating of agreement that recovery is possible [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of agreement with statement "Most people with opioid use disorder will, with medication treatment, get well and return to productive lives" on a 5-point Likert scale with 5 indicating strongly disagree and 1 indicating strongly agree. Measured via survey questionnaire.
- Feeling thermometer measure of warmth toward people taking medication [Measured immediately post-exposure to message frame intervention]
Rating of warmth felt toward people taking medication to treat opioid use disorder with 0 indicating extremely cold and 100 indicating extremely warm. Measured via survey questionnaire.
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
-
employed as health professional in the United States, including clinicians (e.g., physicians, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, and optometrists), technicians and technologists (e.g., laboratory technologist or technician, emergency medical technician, paramedic, licensed practical or licensed vocational nurse, medical records or health information technician, etc.), health aids and assistants (e.g., nursing aide, home health aide, medical assistant, pharmacy aide, phlebotomist, etc.)
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participant in existing web-based survey panel (IPSOS's KnowledgeNetworks panel and partner opt-in panel)
Exclusion Criteria:
-
not employed in health profession
-
not able to complete experiment and survey in English
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health | Baltimore | Maryland | United States | 21205 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Alene Kennedy-Hendricks, PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- IRB14743