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The Effects of Mass Media Photographs on Drug-Related Stigma

A Randomized Experiment to Test the Effects of Mass Media Photographs Related to Drug Use

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06743178
Enrollment
3570
Registered
2024-12-19
Start date
2024-03-20
Completion date
2024-04-08
Last updated
2024-12-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Opioid Use Disorder, Stigma, Social, Substance Use Disorders

Brief summary

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exposure to drug-related photos used by the media on emotions, stigma towards people who use drugs, and public health services for this population.

Detailed description

This randomized experiment evaluated the impact of drug-related photographs used by the media on stigma towards people who use drugs. A nationally representative sample of US adults was randomized to view different photos used in the media (a person injecting drugs, a person being resuscitated after an overdose, a person receiving treatment, a person in recovery, or a person who had lost a family member to an overdose) and then asked questions about their feelings towards people who use drugs and their acceptance of public health services to address the overdose crisis.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALPhoto of a person injecting drugs

Exposed to a photo of a person injecting drugs

BEHAVIORALPhoto of EMS responding to an overdose (White)

Exposed to a photo of EMS responding to an overdose (White)

BEHAVIORALPhoto of EMS responding to an overdose (Black)

Exposed to a photo of EMS responding to an overdose (Black)

BEHAVIORALPhoto of a person receiving treatment (Jail)

Exposed to a photo of a person receiving treatment (Jail)

BEHAVIORALPhoto of a person receiving treatment (Community)

Exposed to a photo of a person receiving treatment (Community)

BEHAVIORALPhoto of a person in recovery (White)

Exposed to a photo of a person in recovery (White)

BEHAVIORALPhoto of a person in recovery (Black)

Exposed to a photo of a person in recovery (Black)

BEHAVIORALPhoto of a family member of an overdose decedent

Exposed to a photo of a family member of an overdose decedent

Sponsors

Vital Strategies
CollaboratorOTHER
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* participant in existing web-based survey panel (NORC's AmeriSpeak)

Exclusion criteria

* not able to complete experiment and survey in English

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Angry)Immediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of feeling angry at the present moment. Item from the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating not at all and 5 indicating extremely their feeling angry at the present moment.
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Sympathy)Immediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of feeling sympathy at the present moment. Item from the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating not at all and 5 indicating extremely their feeling sympathy at the present moment.
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Disgust)Immediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of feeling disgust at the present moment. Item from the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating not at all and 5 indicating extremely their feeling disgust at the present moment.
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Pity)Immediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of feeling pity at the present moment. Item from the Positive and Negative Affect Scale. Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating not at all and 5 indicating extremely their feeling pity at the present moment.
Social Distance Scale (Family)Immediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of willingness to have person with substance use disorder marry into their family. Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness to have a person with a substance use disorder marry into the family.
Social Distance Scale (Neighbor)Immediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of willingness to have person with substance use disorder as a neighbor. Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness to have a person with a substance use disorder as a neighbor.
Social Distance Scale (Work Closely)Immediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of willingness to have person with substance use disorder work closely with them. Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness to have a person with a substance use disorder work closely with them.
Social Distance Scale (close friend)Immediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of willingness to have person with substance use disorder as a close personal friend. Item from the Social Distance Scale that measures one element of stigma (desire for social distance). Measured on 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness to have a person with a substance use disorder as a close personal friend.
Feeling-Thermometer measure of warmth towards people with substance use disordersImmediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of warmth felt toward people with substance use disorder with 0 indicating extremely cold and 100 indicating extremely warm.
Rating of agreement that recovery is possibleImmediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of agreement with statement Recovery from a drug addiction is possible on a 5-point Likert scale with 1 indicating strongly agree and 5 indicating strongly disagree.
Rating of willingness to have a drug treatment program in their neighborhoodImmediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of willingness to have a drug treatment program in their neighborhood with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness. Measured via survey questionnaire.
Rating of willingness to have a syringe exchange program in their neighborhoodImmediately post-exposure to photo interventionRating of willingness to have a syringe exchange program in their neighborhood with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness.
Rating of willingness to have a safe consumption site in their neighborhoodImmediately post-exposure to photo interventionParticipant's rating of willingness to have a safe consumption site in their neighborhood with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness.
Number of participants having a family member with a substance use disorderImmediately post-exposure to photo interventionPersonal experience of having a family member with a substance use disorder. Three close-ended response options (Yes, No, Don't know) when asked if the participant has ever had a family member with a substance use disorder.
Number of participants having a close friend with a substance use disorderImmediately post-exposure to photo interventionPersonal experience of having a close friend with a substance use disorder. Three close-ended response options (Yes, No, Don't know) when asked if the participant has ever had a close friend with a substance use disorder.
Number of participants having substance use disorderImmediately post-exposure to photo interventionPersonal experience of having a substance use disorder. Three close-ended response options (Yes; No; Don't Know) when asked if the participant has ever had a substance use disorder. Measured via survey questionnaire.

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026