Authors' Affiliations

William Miller, MS III, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Ahmed Elgazzar, MS III, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.

Location

Culp Ballroom

Start Date

4-7-2022 9:00 AM

End Date

4-7-2022 12:00 PM

Poster Number

11

Faculty Sponsor’s Department

Other - please list

Rural and Community Programs

Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Tom Kincer

Classification of First Author

Medical Student

Competition Type

Competitive

Type

Poster Presentation

Project's Category

Community Health, Health of Underserved Populations, Medical Intervention Methods, Mental Health, Public Health, Rural Health

Abstract or Artist's Statement

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a disease that continues to affect the lives of millions of Americans. Access to adequate treatment also continues to be a challenge for many of those suffering from substance use disorder. To better understand the barriers to treatment as well as the social challenges people face in seeking care for their substance use, we designed an observational study to capture demographic data, perceptions of stigma, and self esteem levels at a medication assisted treatment (MAT) facility in Northeast Tennessee. A robust survey was administered to patients at the MAT facility to quantify and analyze these metrics. Results from the survey showed when it came to stigma, respondents felt the highest level of internalized stigma compared to the other two types of measured stigma (enacted and anticipated). This was still the case even after stratifying based on gender. Regarding self esteem, survey results showed that as a whole, most respondents were within the normal range for self esteem, however, differences were appreciated when the data was categorized based on age. Finally, some of the most common reasons respondents selected for not seeking treatment previously were the thought that the problem could be handled alone, the lack of health insurance, and the fact that they were not ready to quit. A greater understanding of these issues is crucial for providers to better serve their patient population and tailor their services to the pertinent issues of the area.

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Apr 7th, 9:00 AM Apr 7th, 12:00 PM

Stigma Related To Medication Assisted Treatment in Rural Appalachia

Culp Ballroom

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a disease that continues to affect the lives of millions of Americans. Access to adequate treatment also continues to be a challenge for many of those suffering from substance use disorder. To better understand the barriers to treatment as well as the social challenges people face in seeking care for their substance use, we designed an observational study to capture demographic data, perceptions of stigma, and self esteem levels at a medication assisted treatment (MAT) facility in Northeast Tennessee. A robust survey was administered to patients at the MAT facility to quantify and analyze these metrics. Results from the survey showed when it came to stigma, respondents felt the highest level of internalized stigma compared to the other two types of measured stigma (enacted and anticipated). This was still the case even after stratifying based on gender. Regarding self esteem, survey results showed that as a whole, most respondents were within the normal range for self esteem, however, differences were appreciated when the data was categorized based on age. Finally, some of the most common reasons respondents selected for not seeking treatment previously were the thought that the problem could be handled alone, the lack of health insurance, and the fact that they were not ready to quit. A greater understanding of these issues is crucial for providers to better serve their patient population and tailor their services to the pertinent issues of the area.