Stigma towards people who use drugs: A case vignette study in methadone maintenance treatment clinics in China

Abstract

Background: Drug use stigma among service providers has been recognized as a barrier to improving the accessibility and outcomes of addiction treatment. This study examined the stigmatizing attitudes towards people who use drugs (PWUD) among service providers in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinics in China and its associated factors. Methods: The cross-sectional study used the baseline data of a randomized intervention trial conducted in China, and the data were collected from January 2012 to August 2013. A total of 418 MMT service providers were included in the study. Stigma towards PWUD was measured via a 10-item scale embedded in two case vignettes (PWUD and non-PWUD). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to evaluate the vignette difference for each item of the scale. The linear mixed model was used to identify the adjusted association between drug use stigma and other interested variables including demographics, professional background, and MMT knowledge of the service providers. Results: The Wilcoxon signed-rank tests showed that the participants had a higher level of stigmatizing attitudes towards PWUD than non-PWUD (p-value < 0.001 for all items of the stigma scale). The linear mixed model identified that the reception of national MMT training was associated with a lower degree of drug use stigma (estimate=−1.79; 95% CI: −3.13, −0.45; p-value = 0.009). Conclusion: The findings of the study provide evidence of the existence of drug use stigma among MMT providers in China. The expansion of national-level training and the development of stigma reduction interventions are needed to address this issue.

A Community-Based Investigation of Stigma Toward Individuals Receiving Methadone Maintenance Treatment in China: A Randomized Case Vignette Study

“…A previous study reported that MMT service providers had a high-level stigma toward MMT patients (17). Communitybased social support may play a more crucial role in improving and continuing the treatment of individuals under MMT (18).…”

Understanding Chinese international students’ perception of cultural conflicts in Canada: Through the case of cannabis use

“…The Chinese believe that using drugs is a representative of personal failure, and that cannabis can be addictive and trigger more serious drug use (Zhang & Chin, 2015). Drug using is stigmatized and perceived as a moral issue (Luo et al, 2019). As Chinese society also emphasizes morality in a collectivistic context and how it is strongly built upon social relations to which individuals always belong (Shi-xu, 2014; Zhao et al, 2021), therefore, using cannabis or any kind of drugs, which is regarded as misconduct in Chinese society, may eventually damage an individual’s social relationships and their own reputation in this collectivistic society.…”

The Asian Conference on Asian Studies 2021: Official Conference Proceedings

“…As we can also see from Liu's research team (2009) survey, they investigated different ranges. Like Luo's (2019) team, Liu's (2009) research team study also builds on a Chinese search for ideas in the West, where multiple studies have demonstrated that methadone doses are associated with higher retention rates (Booth, Corsi, & Mikulich-Gilbertson, 2004;D'Ippoliti, Davoli, Perucci, Pasqualini, & Bargagli, 1998;Faggiano, Vigna-Taglianti, Versino, & Lemma, 2003;Strain & Stitzer, 1999). In the specific investigation by Liu's team, methadone doses of less than 45 mg were notassociated with retention rates, and increasing the dose beyond 45 mg was significantly associatedwith a gradual decrease in withdrawal time.…”