Community Attitudes Toward Opioid Use Disorder and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder in a Rural Appalachian County.

To evaluate community attitudes concerning opioid use disorder (OUD) and medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in a rural community, and to plan educational initiatives to reduce stigma surrounding OUD and treatment. Dissemination of a 24-question survey to people living in a rural community followed by comparative analysis of survey results between 2 groups classified by recognition of OUD as a real illness. Three hundred sixty-one individuals responded. Overall, 69% agreed that OUD is a real illness. Respondents recognizing OUD as a real illness were less likely to agree that individuals with OUD are dangerous (P = .014), more likely to agree that MOUD is effective (P < .001), that individuals with OUD should have the same right to a job (P < .001), and that naloxone should be administered for every overdose every time (P = .002). Significant stigma exists toward individuals with OUD in rural communities, and recognizing OUD as a real illness is associated with less stigmatizing attitudes and better understanding of MOUD. Further study should focus on how to effectively convince communities that OUD is a real illness. © 2020 National Rural Health Association.

Citation

Taylor Beachler, T Aaron Zeller, Moonseong Heo, Jennifer Lanzillotta-Rangeley, Alain H Litwin. Community Attitudes Toward Opioid Use Disorder and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder in a Rural Appalachian County. The Journal of rural health : official journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association. 2021 Jan;37(1):29-34

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Substances

PMID: 32738095

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