“It’s all connected:” A mixed methods study of insomnia, stigma, and discrimination among individuals on medication for opioid use disorder

Abstract

ObjectivesInsomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders among those with opioid use disorder (OUD), including those on medication for OUD. There is a dearth of literature exploring the role of social stressors on sleep outcomes among this group. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between OUD-related stigma and intersectional discrimination with insomnia among individuals on medication for OUD. MethodsParticipants were recruited from treatment clinics in the Northeast United States. Using a convergent mixed-methods research design, we explored associations with stigma (The Brief Opioid Stigma Scale), intersectional discrimination (Intersectional Discrimination Index), and insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index) through quantitative survey data and qualitative data from interviews for participant experiences. Data from the quantitative (n = 120) and qualitative (n = 25) components of the study were integrated for interpretation. ResultsQuantitative analysis indicated weak to moderate positive correlations between intersectional discrimination, and exploratory variables including pain, perceived stress, and psychological distress with insomnia severity. The qualitative analysis generated 4 main themes, which highlighted negative emotions and ruminations as factors that participants connected experiences with stigma and discrimination to poor sleep outcomes. Integration of data identified concordant and discordant findings. ConclusionsStigma, discrimination, physical symptoms, and psychological distress appear to contribute to poor sleep outcomes among those with OUD. Future research should target maladaptive outcomes of rumination and negative emotions to improve sleep outcomes among those with OUD.