WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Addiction Policy Forum (APF), in collaboration with Governor DeWine’s RecoveryOhio initiative, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the University of Delaware released a case study detailing the outcomes of a community anti-stigma intervention delivered throughout Ohio. Addiction Policy Forum’s anti-stigma program, Responding to Addiction, was deployed in Ohio to increase addiction literacy, correct misconceptions about addiction, and reduce stigma.
Through the program, participants learn the science of addiction, evidence-based treatment options, and how to address substance use disorders. Conducted by the University of Delaware, the study took place between August 2023 and May 2024 across 13 sites to determine the intervention's outcomes. The evaluation included 213 participants and measured addiction knowledge, confidence in responding to a substance use disorder (SUD), and levels of stigma, including stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.
Results from the study were statistically significant and showed that the program: Increased addiction literacy, among participants, which includes: knowledge about substance use disorder treatment and recovery, including evidence-based medications and behavioral therapies; understanding of signs and symptoms and levels of severity of a substance use disorder; comprehension of risk factors in the development of a substance use disorder and how to preve.