The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exposure to drug-related photos used by the media on emotions, stigma towards people who use drugs, and public health services for this population.
This randomized experiment evaluated the impact of drug-related photographs used by the media on stigma towards people who use drugs. A nationally representative sample of US adults was randomized to view different photos used in the media (a person injecting drugs, a person being resuscitated after an overdose, a person receiving treatment, a person in recovery, or a person who had lost a family member to an overdose) and then asked questions about their feelings towards people who use drugs and their acceptance of public health services to address the overdose crisis.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
3,570
Exposed to a photo of a person injecting drugs
Exposed to a photo of EMS responding to an overdose (White)
Exposed to a photo of EMS responding to an overdose (Black)
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Angry)
Rating of feeling angry at the present moment. Item from the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating "not at all" and 5 indicating "extremely" their feeling angry at the present moment.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Sympathy)
Rating of feeling sympathy at the present moment. Item from the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating "not at all" and 5 indicating "extremely" their feeling sympathy at the present moment.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Disgust)
Rating of feeling disgust at the present moment. Item from the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating "not at all" and 5 indicating "extremely" their feeling disgust at the present moment.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Pity)
Rating of feeling pity at the present moment. Item from the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating "not at all" and 5 indicating "extremely" their feeling pity at the present moment.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Social Distance Scale (Family)
Rating of willingness to have person with substance use disorder marry into their family. Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness to have a person with a substance use disorder marry into the family.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
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Exposed to a photo of a person receiving treatment (Jail)
Exposed to a photo of a person receiving treatment (Community)
Exposed to a photo of a person in recovery (White)
Exposed to a photo of a person in recovery (Black)
Exposed to a photo of a family member of an overdose decedent
Social Distance Scale (Neighbor)
Rating of willingness to have person with substance use disorder as a neighbor. Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness to have a person with a substance use disorder as a neighbor.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Social Distance Scale (Work Closely)
Rating of willingness to have person with substance use disorder work closely with them. Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness to have a person with a substance use disorder work closely with them.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Social Distance Scale (close friend)
Rating of willingness to have person with substance use disorder as a close personal friend. Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness to have a person with a substance use disorder as a close personal friend.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Feeling-Thermometer measure of warmth towards people with substance use disorders
Rating of warmth felt toward people with substance use disorder with 0 indicating extremely cold and 100 indicating extremely warm.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating of agreement that recovery is possible
Rating of agreement with statement "Recovery from a drug addiction is possible" on a 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating strongly agree and 5 indicating strongly disagree.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating of willingness to have a drug treatment program in their neighborhood
Rating of willingness to have a drug treatment program in their neighborhood with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness. Measured via survey questionnaire.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating of willingness to have a syringe exchange program in their neighborhood
Rating of willingness to have a syringe exchange program in their neighborhood with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating of willingness to have a safe consumption site in their neighborhood
Participant's rating of willingness to have a safe consumption site in their neighborhood with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Number of participants having a family member with a substance use disorder
Personal experience of having a family member with a substance use disorder. Three close-ended response options (Yes, No, Don't know) when asked if the participant has ever had a family member with a substance use disorder.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Number of participants having a close friend with a substance use disorder
Personal experience of having a close friend with a substance use disorder. Three close-ended response options (Yes, No, Don't know) when asked if the participant has ever had a close friend with a substance use disorder.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Number of participants having substance use disorder
Personal experience of having a substance use disorder. Three close-ended response options (Yes; No; Don't Know) when asked if the participant has ever had a substance use disorder. Measured via survey questionnaire.
Time frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention