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Healthcare Professional Students’ Perspectives on Substance Use Disorders and Stigma: A Qualitative Study

Author

Listed:
  • Alina Cernasev

    (College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 301 S. Perimeter Park Drive, Suite 220, Nashville, TN 37211, USA)

  • Kiki M. Kline

    (College of Social Work, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA)

  • Rachel Elizabeth Barenie

    (College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA)

  • Kenneth C. Hohmeier

    (College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 301 S. Perimeter Park Drive, Suite 220, Nashville, TN 37211, USA)

  • Steven Stewart

    (College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 301 S. Perimeter Park Drive, Suite 220, Nashville, TN 37211, USA)

  • Shandra S. Forrest-Bank

    (Director of the Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (SWORPS), College of Social Work, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA)

Abstract

Background: Access to and quality of care for Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) remain a major public health issue. Stigma associated with SUDs contributes to the gap between the number of patients who need treatment and the much smaller fraction that receive it. Healthcare professional students are future care providers; an opportunity exists to characterize their collective perspectives on patients with SUDs and how that informs the care they provide. Methods: Healthcare professional students participated in online, semi-structured focus group (FGs) between March and April 2021. The FGs were conducted until thematic saturation was achieved. All verbatim transcripts were analyzed applying Thematic Analysis using Dedoose ® qualitative software. Inductive codes were grouped into categories based on similarities that facilitated the emergence of themes. Results: Thematic Analysis revealed one theme (1) Decreasing stigma among healthcare professionals by viewing substance use disorder as a disease; and two sub-themes: Subtheme 1a: Relating with the patients, “It could be me…”; Subtheme 1b: Interactions with patients, “We just don’t know exactly how to counsel these patients…” These themes describe how future healthcare professionals might perceive and approach patients with SUDs and highlight the importance of SUD training in the curriculum. Conclusion: Medical and pharmacy students are uniquely positioned to apply critical thinking from their didactic training to their real-world clinical experiences, and their collective perspectives inform gaps in training and opportunities to develop best practices for SUD care. An opportunity exists to leverage these findings in order to train future healthcare professionals to ensure access to and quality of SUD care.

Suggested Citation

  • Alina Cernasev & Kiki M. Kline & Rachel Elizabeth Barenie & Kenneth C. Hohmeier & Steven Stewart & Shandra S. Forrest-Bank, 2022. "Healthcare Professional Students’ Perspectives on Substance Use Disorders and Stigma: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-12, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2776-:d:760071
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    Cited by:

    1. Alina Cernasev & Rachel Barenie & Hayleigh Hallam & Kenneth C. Hohmeier & Shandra Forrest, 2024. "Medicine and Pharmacy Students’ Role in Decreasing Substance Use Disorder Stigma: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(12), pages 1-9, November.
    2. Lou Richelle & Michèle Dramaix-Wilmet & Nadine Kacenelenbogen & Charles Kornreich, 2023. "Exploratory Factor Analysis of a French Adapted Version of the Substance Abuse Attitude Survey among Medical Students in Belgium," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-17, March.

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