A group of researchers from the University of Toronto and the Krembil Brain Institute at UHN performed a scoping review of the academic literature to develop a typology of opioid-related stigma. A charting process identified the type, agent, and recipient of stigma as well as the methodology and substances considered.
The researchers found that how opioid-stigma is (re)produced depends on the context of opioid use, the social identity and networks of the person who is consuming the opioid, and what type of opioid is being consumed, including medically-sanctioned forms of treatment. Opioid-related stigma permeates intrapersonal, interpersonal, structural, and societal levels, and people who consume opioids are marginalized at all levels. The review described the typology of stigma and shed light on multi-level considerations for reducing opioid-related stigma in healthcare settings.
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Chiraz Guessaier, CDA Oasis Manager