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Stigma Towards Individuals with Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders Among Turkish Psychiatrists and Non-psychiatrist Physicians: Prevalence and the Importance of Physician’s Gender on Stigmatization Level

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Abstract

Addiction requires a lengthy treatment process. Besides, it harms a person’s general health. Thus, individuals with alcohol and substance use disorders (IASUD) often need medical assistance. However, facing stigma in healthcare facilities reduces the willingness to seek treatment among people trying to cope with addiction problems. In addition, stigma may hamper IASUD from receiving other healthcare services.

The present study aims to determine the prevalence of mild and severe stigmatization among psychiatrists and non-psychiatrist physicians (NPP). At the same time, it investigates the factors related to stigmatizing IASUD among psychiatrists and NPP.

The study recruited 292 Turkish physicians who completed their education and training. An online survey was utilized to collect data with YEDAM Substance Addiction Stigmatization Scale (SASS), YEDAM Alcohol Addiction Stigmatization Scale (AASS), and Addiction Treatment Stigma Scale (ATSS).

Psychiatrists who participated in the present study had stigmatizing attitudes towards individuals with alcohol use disorder (20%), towards individuals with substance use disorder (18.5%), and towards treatments of addiction (23.1%). Among NPPs, 36.6% had stigmatizing attitudes towards individuals with alcohol use disorder, 59.5% had negative attitudes towards substance use disorder, and 34.4% had stigmatizing attitudes towards addiction treatments. Two-way ANOVA showed that psychiatrists had lower stigma levels than NPPs in SASS, AASS, and ATSS (p < 0.001, p = 0.006, p = 0.010). Being a female physician significantly affected AASS and ATSS scores; females had higher scores (respectively, p = 0.045, p = 0.043).

Psychiatry training is related to the lesser; being a female physician is related to the higher stigmatization of IASUD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir, Turkey

    İmran Gökçen Yılmaz-Karaman, Tuğçe Gündüz & Gülcan Güleç

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  1. İmran Gökçen Yılmaz-Karaman
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  2. Tuğçe Gündüz
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Correspondence to İmran Gökçen Yılmaz-Karaman.

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The data is available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.

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The study protocol was approved by Eskişehir Osmangazi University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee with decision number 14 on 16.03.2021.

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Yılmaz-Karaman, İ., Gündüz, T. & Güleç, G. Stigma Towards Individuals with Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders Among Turkish Psychiatrists and Non-psychiatrist Physicians: Prevalence and the Importance of Physician’s Gender on Stigmatization Level. Int J Ment Health Addiction 21, 1286–1300 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-022-00965-0

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