Conversations About Opioids: Impact of the Opioid Overdose Epidemic on Social Interactions for People Who Live With Chronic Pain

• Published in: Qualitative health research Vol. 31; no. 9; pp. 1657 - 1669
• Main Authors: Dassieu, Lise, Heino, Angela, Develay, Élise, Kaboré, Jean-Luc, Pagé, M. Gabrielle, Hudspith, Maria, Moor, Gregg, Choinière, Manon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.07.2021; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Chronic illnesses; Chronic pain; Communication; Discrimination; Drug overdose; Epidemics; Everyday life; Mass media; Mass media effects; Media coverage; Narcotics; Opioids; Pain; Qualitative research; Self-advocacy; Social experiences; Social interaction; Stigma; Verbal communication; Canada; Canada; chronic pain; stigma; qualitative; social interactions; sociology; semi-structured interviews; illness experience; opioids
• ISSN: 1049-7323; 1552-7557
• DOI: 10.1177/10497323211003063

The objective of this study was to understand the impact of the opioid overdose epidemic on the social lives of people suffering from chronic pain, focusing on interactions within their personal and professional circles. The study was based on 22 in-depth interviews with people living with chronic pain in Canada. Using thematic analysis, we documented three main impacts of the opioid overdose epidemic: (a) increased worries of people in pain and their families regarding the dangers of opioids; (b) prejudices, stigma, and discrimination faced during conversations about opioids; and (c) stigma management attempts, which include self-advocacy and concealment of opioid use. This study represents important knowledge advancement on how people manage stigma and communicate about chronic disease during everyday life interactions. By showing negative effects of the epidemic’s media coverage on the social experiences of people with chronic pain, we underscore needs for destigmatizing approaches in public communication regarding opioids.