Other Titles
Healthcare Professional Stigma: Caring for Patients with Opioid Use Disorder [Poster Title]
Abstract
Background: Opioid use disorder in primary care affects millions in the United States. Healthcare professionals and clinic staff are often unaware that they are stigmatizing individuals with opioid addiction. Increased awareness of the detrimental impact of perpetuated stigmas on opioid use disorder patient population outcomes needs to be addressed to minimize barriers to care and enhance quality care outcomes, care coordination, and treatment for patients with opioid use disorder.
Purpose: This quality improvement project investigates stigma reduction training programs to (a) improve healthcare professional perceptions and (b) decrease the stigma of the OUD patient population through a quality improvement project.
Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to measure healthcare providers' and staffs’ attitudes and beliefs about opioid addiction following the implementation of a web-based stigma training module. Demographic data was collected to assess trends or commonalities of healthcare professionals and clinic staff barriers to managing stigma through The Opening Minds Provider’s Attitudes Towards Opioid Use. Pre- and post-data will be collected from patients with opioid use disorder, assessing its impact on reducing patient perceptions of experienced stigma through the use of the Brief Opioid Stigma Scale. Quantitative data analysis, including t-tests and chi-squared tests, will determine changes in patient experiences related to perceptions of stigma.
Outcomes: The project is in progress, and definitive findings and conclusions are unavailable. Results and conclusions will be determined and articulated upon the project's completion. The expected data collection and analysis completion timeline will be no later than January 31, 2025.
Implications: Stigma training for healthcare professionals and clinic staff enhances the ability to provide compassionate care tailored to patients with opioid use disorder. It promotes positive health outcomes by addressing biases and fostering open communication. Stigma training also addresses health equity by addressing structural barriers to care and promoting inclusive healthcare policies. Addressing stigma in healthcare has the potential for broader application across diseases associated with stigmas, mainly led by advanced practice nurses, in transforming healthcare responses and treatments.
Sigma Membership
Psi at-Large
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Quality Improvement
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Ethics, Public and Community Health, Opioid Use Disorder, Stigmas
Recommended Citation
Bland, Megan and Matyac, Carrie Ann, "Addressing Stigma Among Healthcare Professionals Caring for Patients With Opioid Use Disorder" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 107.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/posters_2025/107
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Addressing Stigma Among Healthcare Professionals Caring for Patients With Opioid Use Disorder
Seattle, Washington, USA
Background: Opioid use disorder in primary care affects millions in the United States. Healthcare professionals and clinic staff are often unaware that they are stigmatizing individuals with opioid addiction. Increased awareness of the detrimental impact of perpetuated stigmas on opioid use disorder patient population outcomes needs to be addressed to minimize barriers to care and enhance quality care outcomes, care coordination, and treatment for patients with opioid use disorder.
Purpose: This quality improvement project investigates stigma reduction training programs to (a) improve healthcare professional perceptions and (b) decrease the stigma of the OUD patient population through a quality improvement project.
Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used to measure healthcare providers' and staffs’ attitudes and beliefs about opioid addiction following the implementation of a web-based stigma training module. Demographic data was collected to assess trends or commonalities of healthcare professionals and clinic staff barriers to managing stigma through The Opening Minds Provider’s Attitudes Towards Opioid Use. Pre- and post-data will be collected from patients with opioid use disorder, assessing its impact on reducing patient perceptions of experienced stigma through the use of the Brief Opioid Stigma Scale. Quantitative data analysis, including t-tests and chi-squared tests, will determine changes in patient experiences related to perceptions of stigma.
Outcomes: The project is in progress, and definitive findings and conclusions are unavailable. Results and conclusions will be determined and articulated upon the project's completion. The expected data collection and analysis completion timeline will be no later than January 31, 2025.
Implications: Stigma training for healthcare professionals and clinic staff enhances the ability to provide compassionate care tailored to patients with opioid use disorder. It promotes positive health outcomes by addressing biases and fostering open communication. Stigma training also addresses health equity by addressing structural barriers to care and promoting inclusive healthcare policies. Addressing stigma in healthcare has the potential for broader application across diseases associated with stigmas, mainly led by advanced practice nurses, in transforming healthcare responses and treatments.
Description
Opioid use disorder (OUD) affects millions in the U.S., with stigma from healthcare providers creating barriers to care. This quality improvement project assesses stigma reduction training for providers and staff. Using a quasi-experimental design, pre- and post-training data will measure changes in attitudes and patient perceptions. Results, expected by January 31, 2025, aim to improve compassionate care, reduce stigma, and enhance outcomes for OUD patients, promoting health equity.