Abstract
The opioid epidemic in the United States has led to a quadrupling of opioid overdoses since the 1990s. Stigmas exist among healthcare professionals, and it is essential to educate the next generation of pharmacy technicians regarding opioid use disorder. The main objective of this study was to characterize the phenomenon of stigma through the pharmacy technician lens when taking care of patients who are using opioid medications. Grounded in Van Manen’s phenomenological approach and the Link and Phelan stigmatization model, a qualitative study was conducted from February to June 2020 to understand pharmacy technicians’ perceptions and attitudes towards patients using opioid medications. Focus groups (n = 46) with pharmacy technicians were conducted in-person and online over five months in 2020. Thematic analysis identified three themes that characterize the stigma and the relationship between pharmacy technicians and patients taking opioid medications: (1) pharmacy technician perspectives on stigma and patients with addictive opioid-use behavior; (2) current approaches of pharmacy technicians towards patients with addictive opioid-use behavior; (3) future approaches of pharmacy technicians towards patients with addictive opioid-use behavior. The findings highlight an “ever-present” negative connotation associated with the stigma that is formed from patient interaction. It is necessary to develop proper resources and educational materials to manage the stigma that exists in pharmacies throughout the nation. These resources will facilitate how to address and prevent the stigma among pharmacy technicians in the U.S.
Highlights
Introduction published maps and institutional affilThe United States (U.S.) has experienced an increase in the opioid crisis for decades, with overdose (OD) deaths quadrupling since the late 1990s, averaging 115 deaths per day [1]
This study sought to explore prevailing attitudes and encounters between patients with new or refilled prescriptions for opioid products and pharmacy technicians, who are on the front line of care and among the health professionals most frequently seen by patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) or patients who receive any prescription for an opioid medication
Our research suggests a similar phenomenon is present here among the front-line pharmacy workforce in the United States
Summary
The United States (U.S.) has experienced an increase in the opioid crisis for decades, with overdose (OD) deaths quadrupling since the late 1990s, averaging 115 deaths per day [1]. In 2014, the U.S experienced a total of 47,055 OD-related deaths [2]. These opioidrelated deaths include those caused by both illicit and prescription opioids [3]. Further complicating the epidemic is the fact that the sources of these illicit opioids, such as heroin and carfentanil, are uncertain and increase the risk of both fatal and nonfatal. Between 2010 and 2015, system records of OD death rates in all 50 states found that deaths rates had increased in 30 states, including the District of Columbia, while in 19 states they were found to remain the same [5].
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