Measuring Beliefs and Norms About Persons With Alcohol Use Disorder

Measuring Beliefs and Norms About Persons With Alcohol Use Disorder

Survey experiment to estimate drivers of stigma toward people with alcohol use disorder

Despite significant advances in scientific understanding of substance use disorders accompanied by significant advances in treatment and improvements in prognosis, substance use disorder remains highly stigmatized throughout the world. Previous studies suggest that portraying alcohol use disorder as treatable can reduce negative attitudes toward persons with alcohol use disorder. This randomized controlled trial compares the effects of exposing study participants to vignettes portraying persons with untreated and symptomatic alcohol use disorder vs. treated alcohol use disorder with complete response vs. treated alcohol use disorder with relapse, with and without adverse economic impacts. It is hypothesized, based on prior work, that study participants exposed to vignettes depicting treated alcohol use disorder with completed response would have the greatest effect on reducing negative attitudes toward persons with alcohol use disorder, followed by treated alcohol use disorder with relapse and untreated and symptomatic alcohol use disorder, and that adverse economic impacts will exacerbate negative attitudes toward persons with alcohol use disorder.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All adults who consider Nyakabare their primary place of residence and who are capable of providing consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Minors younger than 18 years of age, with the exception of emancipated minors
• Persons who do not consider Nyakabare Parish their primary place of residence, e.g., persons who happen to be visiting Nyakabare at the time of the survey or who own a home in Nyakabare but spend most of their time outside the parish
• Persons with psychosis, neurological damage, acute intoxication, or other cognitive impairment (all of which are determined informally in the field by non-clinical research staff in consultation with a supervisor)