Browsing by Author "Yodit Endalamaw"

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    Stigma among Help Seeking People with Alcohol use Disorder, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a Facility Based Qualitative Study
    (Addis Ababa University, 2024-04-10) Yodit Endalamaw; Awoke Mihretu
    Background- Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the most highly stigmatized conditions. Stigma has several impacts on people with AUD such as decreasing their self-esteem, negatively affecting social relationships, and leading to maladaptive coping strategies like withdrawal and secrecy. Despite evidence indicating that individuals with AUD perceive and experience stigma in the healthcare system, leading to decreased help seeking behavior and diminished recovery in various contexts, there is a lack of understanding regarding the stigma of AUD in Ethiopia. General Objective- This study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of stigma among help seeking individuals with AUD. Methods- A phenomenological type of qualitative study was used. The study participants were individuals with a diagnosis of AUD who were receiving care at the substance treatment ward and outpatient service at Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital (AMSH) and Zewditu Memorial Hospital (ZMH) during the data collection period. A purposive sampling technique was used to recruit the participants. Sampling continued until theoretical saturation was achieved and fifteen in depth interviews were conducted. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed in Amharic and then translated into English. Thematic analysis was used to identify major themes. Findings- Five main themes emerged from the data: (1) Other people’s views and beliefs regarding AUD, (2) Stigma among people with AUD, (3) Experiences of stigma in healthcare facilities, (4) Impact of stigma, and (5) Coping, resilience and positive interpretation of stigma. Participants indicated that the public endorsed psycho-socio-cultural attributions and family history of alcohol addiction as causes of AUD and individuals with AUD were frequently blamed for their condition. This study also explored the different forms of stigma among those with AUD such as perceived stigma, enacted stigma and self-stigma. Individuals with AUD also reported stigma by healthcare professionals which affected their help seeking behaviour and recovery. Multiple negative impacts of stigma, ways of coping, resilient responses and positive interpretations of stigma were also underscored in the findings. Conclusion- Different experiences of stigma among individuals with AUD were evident in the study and the impacts of stigma were found to be far-reaching. Thus, it is essential to utilize the views and experiences gained from this study to develop interventions aimed at iv reducing stigma. Public awareness campaigns and policy changes that protect the rights of individuals with AUD should be implemented. Healthcare professionals should also receive training on how to provide a non-judgmental and empathetic care that addresses the needs of those with AUD