Political partisanship and stigma against people who use drugs in opinions about allocating COVID-19 prevention resources to vulnerable populations.
COVID-19
People who use drugs
Stigma
Journal
The International journal on drug policy
ISSN: 1873-4758
Titre abrégé: Int J Drug Policy
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 9014759
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
09 2021
09 2021
Historique:
received:
28
08
2020
revised:
02
05
2021
accepted:
07
05
2021
pubmed:
29
5
2021
medline:
28
10
2021
entrez:
28
5
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The distribution of resources during the COVID-19 pandemic has been politicized and contentious in the United States. Vulnerable populations, such as those living in poverty, experiencing homelessness, or who use drugs, are particularly susceptible to becoming infected with COVID-19 and often have limited access to protective supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizer. Our aim was to understand public opinion on increasing the allocation of COVID-19 prevention resources to vulnerable populations. Data were from an online survey of 680 United States adults. Participants' opinions on the allocation of COVID-19 prevention resources to people with low income, experiencing homelessness, or who use drugs were assessed using a five-item Likert scale. We examined the prevalence of these opinions and their relationship to sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 beliefs, and drug-related experiences. Most participants supported increasing resources for individuals with low incomes (79.6%) and experiencing homelessness (74.6%), while a minority supported increasing resources for people who use drugs (33.5%). Politically conservative participants were less likely to support increasing resources for all three populations than those who were politically liberal. Skepticism about the severity of COVID-19 was also associated with less support for increasing resources across groups. Our results demonstrate that people who use drugs continue to be stigmatized in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in popular opinion not supporting people who use drugs with potentially lifesaving resources. Overcoming this stigma is essential to prevent COVID-19 among people who use drugs, a population which experiences elevated risk of COVID-19 infection.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
The distribution of resources during the COVID-19 pandemic has been politicized and contentious in the United States. Vulnerable populations, such as those living in poverty, experiencing homelessness, or who use drugs, are particularly susceptible to becoming infected with COVID-19 and often have limited access to protective supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizer. Our aim was to understand public opinion on increasing the allocation of COVID-19 prevention resources to vulnerable populations.
METHODS
Data were from an online survey of 680 United States adults. Participants' opinions on the allocation of COVID-19 prevention resources to people with low income, experiencing homelessness, or who use drugs were assessed using a five-item Likert scale. We examined the prevalence of these opinions and their relationship to sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 beliefs, and drug-related experiences.
RESULTS
Most participants supported increasing resources for individuals with low incomes (79.6%) and experiencing homelessness (74.6%), while a minority supported increasing resources for people who use drugs (33.5%). Politically conservative participants were less likely to support increasing resources for all three populations than those who were politically liberal. Skepticism about the severity of COVID-19 was also associated with less support for increasing resources across groups.
DISCUSSION
Our results demonstrate that people who use drugs continue to be stigmatized in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in popular opinion not supporting people who use drugs with potentially lifesaving resources. Overcoming this stigma is essential to prevent COVID-19 among people who use drugs, a population which experiences elevated risk of COVID-19 infection.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34049234
pii: S0955-3959(21)00207-3
doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103301
pmc: PMC8530849
mid: NIHMS1708594
pii:
doi:
Substances chimiques
Pharmaceutical Preparations
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
103301Subventions
Organisme : NIDA NIH HHS
ID : R01 DA040488
Pays : United States
Organisme : NIDA NIH HHS
ID : T32 DA007292
Pays : United States
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declarations of Interest None.
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