Majority of U.S. Adults Misunderstand and Hold Negative Perceptions of People with Substance Use Disorders
Majority of adults (74%) don’t believe a person with a substance use disorder (SUD) is experiencing a chronic medical illness. Read the full results.
NORWALK, CT — A majority of U.S. adults demonstrate high levels of addiction stigma, according to new data released today by Shatterproof. The Shatterproof Addiction Stigma Index (SASI) is the largest and most expansive measurement tool designed to date to assess attitudes about substance use disorder (sometimes referred to as addiction) and people with SUDs. The data helps raise awareness about addiction stigma and how it impacts people with addiction, allows us to track progress over time and holds our nation accountable for ending addiction stigma.
Currently, nearly 49 million Americans ages 12 and older are living with SUDs and less than 5% of people who need treatment for addiction will ever receive it, making this the nation’s most urgent public health issue.
While recent data has shown a decline in substance-related fatalities over the last year, these numbers are still alarmingly high. Addiction stigma is a critical driver of this crisis, contributing to social isolation and further discouraging help-seeking behavior from individuals hoping to manage this complex medical condition. While historically addiction stigma has been under-researched and largely unaddressed, the 2024 SASI report explores the perspective of one woman, Kaitlyn, and her journey with substance use to raise awareness of this issue and mobilize this country to take action.
Addiction stigma is a set of negative attitudes and beliefs that often lead to unjust treatment of people with addiction. Doctors Brea Perry and Megan Bolton from the Irsay Institute at Indiana University played a role in supporting the research.
Some key findings from the SASI include:
- 74% of respondents don’t believe that a person with SUD is experiencing a chronic medical illness.
- 45% of respondents are unwilling to move next door to a person with SUD.
- 47% of respondents are unwilling to have a person with SUD as a close friend.
- 43% of respondents believe that medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is simply substituting one drug addiction for another.
There are some hopeful findings. Nearly three in four respondents (73%) agree that fentanyl testing strips should be free and available as a key tool in preventing drug-related fatalities. These small strips of paper can detect the presence of fentanyl in different kinds of drugs and drug forms, like pills, powders and injectable substances, according to the CDC. Additionally, nearly 80% of respondents believe that more healthcare providers should offer MOUD so that they are easily accessible. They also believe that MOUD is an effective treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Also of note, nearly 80% of respondents feel that treatment strategies are more effective than time in prison for drug-related, non-violent crimes. And finally, 71% of adults personally support carrying naloxone (also known as Narcan), which is a medicine that rapidly reverses drug-related overdose symptoms and mitigates fatality.
- Educate yourself and others. Seek out information about SUD, know how to identify and respond to an overdose and learn about the resources available.
- Share your story. Most Americans (54%) know someone with SUD. Stories connect us all and people can be part of the movement to end addiction stigma by sharing how substance use has impacted their lives.
Shatterproof first co-developed the SASI with researchers at Indiana University in 2021 to better understand the public’s knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding SUD. The 2024 findings are based on a survey of more than 8,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The SASI, fielded in both English and Spanish, was administered March 27 through April 8, 2024, using Ipsos Public Affairs, a global market firm, on behalf of Shatterproof. Ipsos utilizes KnowledgePanel® for recruitment, which is the largest online panel relying on probability-based sampling techniques.
“Stigma is pervasive and is silently destroying our communities. The primary purpose of the 2024 Shatterproof Addiction Stigma Index report is to humanize addiction, bring awareness to the devastating impacts of stigma, and urge our country to take collective action to reduce addiction-related stigma over time,” said Courtney McKeon, senior vice president of the National Stigma Initiative, Shatterproof. “Societies take time to change and this movement to end addiction stigma is going to take a sustained and concreted effort. When we seek to understand and show compassion to those around us, we help create environments where people who use substances and people with substance use disorder feel supported in their journeys to navigate their medical condition.”
For millions of Americans and those who love them, ending addiction stigma is a matter of survival. Shatterproof has a mission to end stigma by working closely with state agencies, community organizations and individuals so that no one has to navigate the complexities of SUD alone. To learn more about SUD, find resources and take action, visit www.Shatterproof.org.
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ABOUT SHATTERPROOF:
Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the addiction treatment system in the U.S. Shatterproof is focused on guiding society, especially families, through the complexities of a substance use disorder; informing the public on prevention, treatment and recovery from addiction; and educating the public to reduce addiction stigma to ensure that people who use substances or have a substance use disorder can live healthy and fulfilled lives. Find Shatterproof on Facebook, X and YouTube: @ShatterproofHQ or follow them on Instagram: @weareshatterproof. To learn more, visit www.Shatterproof.org.
CONTACT:
Lauren Lawson-Zilai
Shatterproof
press@shatterproof.org
