Opioid-related social stigma in the context of chronic pain: An interdisciplinary investigation
In the light of the drastic increase in prescription opioid pain medication and associated health risks for patients, myriad measures are implemented to reduce its use. Although this policy has proven successful in the US, it has also evoked a climate of stigmatization of opioid use, even in strictly monitored clinical settings. When stigma also manifests within the broader social environment of patients, this may contribute to poorer patient well-being and reduced treatment efficacy. However, fundamental research into the conceptualization of opioid-related stigmatization within the broader social environment of patients (i.e., society, formal network, informal network) is lacking. This research project aims to conceptualize and study opioid-related stigmatization from an interdisciplinary perspective and within the different levels of the social environment of patients living with chronic pain.
Project details
Duration
January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2026
Funding
Research Foundation Flanders (FWO)
Research team
- Prof. Liesbet Goubert
- Prof. Koen Boussery
- Prof. Bart Morlion
- Prof. Sónia Bernardes
- Prof. Peter Pype
- dr. Sam Schelfhout
- dr. Fleur Baert
- dr. Melissa Ceuterick
- Lena De Bonte
- Justine Vanbavinckhove
Key themes
opioid-related stigma - chronic pain - social environment - opioids - patient well-being - interdisciplinary research