Relationships Between Stigma, Risk Tolerance, and Buprenorphine Dispensing Intentions Among Community-Based Pharmacists: Results From a National Sample

Alysson E. Light, Traci C. Green, Patricia R. Freeman, Paria Sanaty Zadeh, Anne L. Burns, Lucas G. Hill

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Concerns have been raised that pharmacists sometimes act as barriers to patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) accessing buprenorphine treatment. The present research explores how community pharmacists’ endorsement (vs non-endorsement) of stigmatizing beliefs about patients taking buprenorphine relate to intentions, comfort, and decisions regarding dispensing buprenorphine for OUD. In addition, we assessed attitudes toward risk in pharmacy practice as a novel correlate of dispensing intentions and decisions. Methods: A sample of 207 active community-based pharmacists practicing in the United States responded to survey items measuring stigma, risk tolerance, and intentions to dispense buprenorphine. The survey included 2 vignettes in which patients presented to the pharmacy with a prescription for buprenorphine, and respondents rated their comfort with dispensing and decisions regarding dispensing in the vignette. Results: Results suggest that both stigma toward patients taking buprenorphine to treat OUD and tolerance for risk in pharmacy settings are related to differences in pharmacists’ intentions to and willingness to dispense buprenorphine for OUD. Conclusions: Findings support the need for interventions to reduce stigma associated with buprenorphine use among pharmacists and suggest that risk tolerance is an important determinant of pharmacists’ behavior that merits further study.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)211-221
Number of pages11
JournalSubstance Use and Addiction Journal
Volume45
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by AMERSA, Inc. (Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance use and Addiction).

Keywords

  • buprenorphine dispensing barriers
  • buprenorphine diversion
  • opioid use disorder
  • pharmacists
  • prescription red flags
  • risk tolerance
  • stigma

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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