Reducing stigma toward medication for opioid use disorder through social work education, research, and practice

Abstract

ABSTRACT A large body of research demonstrates the safety and efficacy of medication for opioid use disorder to reduce opioid misuse and related harms. However, stigma is a substantial barrier to broader use of these medications. This endpage reviews the impact of stigma toward medication for opioid use disorder on treatment access, uptake, retention, and outcomes. I then suggests areas for future research and social change. As one of the primary service providers for people with opioid use disorder, social workers should be at the forefront of efforts to destigmatize medication treatments. Social workers are well positioned to address the consequences of stigma toward medication for opioid use disorder through research, education, practice, and systems change. VIDEO ABSTRACT SCRIPT Methadone, buprenorphine, and extended-release naltrexone, the three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder, are among the most powerful tools we have in our fight against the rising drug overdose crisis. A large body of research demonstrates the safety and efficacy of these medications to reduce opioid cravings, improve treatment outcomes, and prevent overdose death. However, stigma is a major barrier to their use. Despite a strong evidence base, medications for opioid use disorder are commonly viewed as ineffective and illegitimate treatments that simply ‘substitute one drug for another.’ Stigma is encoded in stringent laws and regulations which limit access to medication. For people with opioid use disorder, stigma can influence beliefs about medications and affect the likelihood that one will initiate and maintain treatment. Stigma also erodes self-esteem and social support, two important predictors for recovery outcomes. In this way, stigma toward medications for opioid use disorder has become a pressing social justice issue. As one of the primary service providers for people with opioid use disorder, social workers should be at the forefront of efforts to destigmatize medication treatments. This endpage is a call to action for social workers to address stigma toward medication treatments through research, education, practice, and systems change.