The Impact of Stigma on Treatment Services for People With Substance Use Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic—Perspectives of NECPAM Members

Life unites us: A novel approach to addressing opioid use disorder stigma

“…The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stigma remains an area in need of future study. Preliminary research has suggested that the pandemic has contributed to the marginalisation of people who use drugs (PWUD) and that individuals living with substance use disorders have experienced inadequate COVID-19 care due to their addiction (Dannatt et al, 2021; Jenkins et al, 2021; Van Hout et al, 2021). As with other health services, resource allocation for OUD programmes has also been a challenge during the pandemic, with funding often being diverted to addressing the immediate pandemic emergency (Sokolow, 2020).…”

Political partisanship and stigma against people who use drugs in opinions about allocating COVID-19 prevention resources to vulnerable populations

“…People who experience homelessness or PWUD are at risk of COVID-19 infection due to existing structural vulnerabilities (i.e., housing and food insecurity, poverty) and through the effects of lockdowns, closing of public spaces and harm reduction facilities, and the restriction of outside movements ( Tsai & Wilson, 2020 ). This increased risk of infection with COVID-19 may result in increased stigma as people who are homeless and those who use drugs may be blamed for spreading the virus and may be perceived as being less worthy or deserving of assistance ( Dannatt et al., 2021 ). Research has documented public concerns on twitter regarding transmission of COVID-19 among individuals experiencing homelessness ( Doogan et al., 2020 ).…”

Stigmatization of people with alcohol and drug addiction among Turkish undergraduate students

“…Although there is no consensus among researchers regarding the exact definition of stigma to date, Dannatt et al (2021) define stigma as “a mark of shame, disgrace, or disapproval which results in an individual being rejected, discriminated against, and excluded from society” (p. 1). Mental health professionals have identified various social and cognitive components that can lead to stigma in people with and without mental health problems.…”

“…Research also suggests that people with drug addiction are often viewed as unpredictable and dangerous ( Phelan & Link, 2004 ) and are being labelled as “junkies” ( Muncan et al, 2020 ). These views often lead to avoidance by others ( Phelan, 2005 ), difficulties in the job seeking and relationships ( Khalid et al, 2020 ), and may lead to reduced access to care ( Dannatt et al, 2021 ). Furthermore, people with drug addiction may develop self-stigma which in turn influence their behavior such as decreased utilization of health service, leading to poorer health outcomes (e.g., psychological distress and poorer quality of life) and more chronic condition ( Cheng et al, 2019 , Sarkar et al, 2019 ).…”