Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Jan;72(1):105-110.
doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.08.026. Epub 2022 Oct 8.

Ambivalence and Stigma Beliefs About Medication Treatment Among Young Adults With Opioid Use Disorder: A Qualitative Exploration of Young Adults' Perspectives

Sarah M Bagley  1 , Samantha F Schoenberger  2 , Vanessa dellaBitta  3 , Karsten Lunze  3 , Kendyl Barron  4 , Scott E Hadland  5 , Tae Woo Park  6
Affiliations

Ambivalence and Stigma Beliefs About Medication Treatment Among Young Adults With Opioid Use Disorder: A Qualitative Exploration of Young Adults' Perspectives

Sarah M Bagley et al. J Adolesc Health. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: Young adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) have low engagement in treatment with medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). The objective of this study is to explore the beliefs and attitudes about MOUD among young adults.

Methods: We conducted a single-site qualitative study of 20 young adults ages 18-29 years with a diagnosis of OUD receiving care at an outpatient program and who spoke English. We used a flexible interview guide with the following domains: experience with MOUD, sources and impact of stigma, and interactions with family, healthcare professionals, and social networks. We conducted a thematic analysis based on deductive codes related to the domains and emergent codes from the interviews.

Results: We identified three themes. First, participants perceived being on MOUD as stigmatizing. They regarded MOUD as lifesaving but ultimately as a "crutch" hindering their full recovery. Second, young adults expressed ambivalence, distinct from stigma, about MOUD. This ambivalence was related to fear of withdrawal symptoms and concerns about their ability to live independent lives, side effects, and unknown treatment duration. Third, participants felt that MOUD was more than just a means to reduce risk of overdose, it was a means to become fully functioning in their lives.

Discussion: In this study of young adults in treatment for OUD, we found that stigma and ambivalence concerning MOUD could explain young adults' low engagement in care. Interventions addressing concerns about the stigmatizing effects of MOUD and the ambivalence young adults experience related to MOUD could improve engagement and retention of young adults.

Keywords: Medication for opioid use disorder; Opioids; Stigma; Young adult.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

None of the authors report a conflict of interest. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of Boston University or any of its academic affiliates.

Conflicts of Interest and Funding Source:

There are no conflicts of interest to report.

References

    1. Ahmad F, Rossen L, Sutton P. Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts. National Center for Health Statistics; 2021.
    1. Barocas JA, White LF, Wang J, et al. Estimated Prevalence of Opioid Use Disorder in Massachusetts, 2011–2015: A Capture–Recapture Analysis. Am J Public Health. 2018;108(12):1675–1681. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2018.304673 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; 2020. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/
    1. CDC WONDER. Accessed March 7, 2019. https://wonder.cdc.gov/
    1. National Academies of Sciences E. Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Save Lives.; 2019. doi:10.17226/25310 - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

Substances