An Exploratory Study of Overlapping Stigmas and Substance Use Stigma Among Women With Substance Use Histories Who are Incarcerated

Mary M. Levi, J. Matthew Webster, Martha Tillson, Jaxin Annett, Carrie B. Oser, Laura C. Fanucchi, Michele Staton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Despite the overwhelmingly negative impacts of substance use stigma, little is known about how multiple, overlapping stigmatized identities, experiences, or characteristics (henceforth stigmas) may be related to perceived substance use stigma, especially in a sample of women who are incarcerated. The current study profiled stigmas reported by women in jail with substance use histories and investigated the relationship between the number of overlapping stigmas reported and perceptions of substance use stigma. Exploratory analyses examined the relationship between each individual stigma and substance use stigma. Findings suggest that individuals who reported more stigmas reported higher substance use stigma scores. Additionally, exploratory results suggested that rurality, transactional sex, injection drug use, methamphetamine use, being diagnosed with a mood disorder, experiencing sexual abuse or assault, and child custody loss were uniquely associated with increased substance use stigma. Results are discussed in terms of implications for stigma interventions and substance use treatment engagement.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Drug Issues
DOIs
StateAccepted/In press - 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) grant to the University of Kentucky (UG1DA050069), which is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse as part of the NIH HEAL Initiative. The contents of this manuscript are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH, the NIH HEAL Initiative, or participating JCOIN sites.

FundersFunder number
National Institute on Drug Abuse
NIH
University of KentuckyUG1DA050069
University of Kentucky

    Keywords

    • incarceration
    • stigma
    • substance use
    • women

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Health(social science)
    • Medicine (miscellaneous)
    • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
    • Psychiatry and Mental health

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