The ReSPect Study - Reducing stigma towards people with issues related to drug use

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BackgroundThere were a record 4,517 drug-related deaths in the UK in 2020. People who use drugs (PWUD) face extreme levels of stigma - negative stereotyping leading to differential treatment - limiting access to healthcare and drug treatment, which are protective against drug-related/all-cause mortality. Stigma is negatively associated with support for harm reduction (HR) interventions, potentially limiting their provision. The evidence base informing anti-stigma messaging is limited, whilst simultaneously, stigma is exercised as a health promotion tool to deter drug use. AimDevelop messaging interventions to reduce stigma towards people with drug dependence and increase support for interventions to reduce drug-related harm.Objectives1. Systematically review literature on messaging to reduce stigma towards PWUD.2. Explore the attitudes of healthcare, drug treatment, public health, and policy stakeholders towards PWUD and their views on the instrumentalisation of stigma.3. Identify the impact of different types of messaging on professional/public attitudes towards PWUD, harm reduction and inclusion healthcare.4. Interrogate the ethical dimensions of instrumentalising stigma in workshops with public health ethicists, decisionmakers and PWUD.5. Develop and disseminate anti-stigma messaging interventions for professional and public audiences.