Title : Barriers, attitudes, and beliefs of black men’s engagement in seeking opioid use treatment
Abstract:
Opioid-related overdoses and deaths among Black men are rising at alarming rates, contributing to a worsening public health crisis. Despite this growing burden, Black men remain significantly less likely than other groups to seek or engage in opioid use treatment, highlighting persistent racial disparities in access to care. While existing research documents these disparities, there remains a critical gap in understanding the specific behavioral, social, and structural factors that shape treatment-seeking behaviors among Black men with opioid use disorder (OUD).
This study aims to address this gap by exploring past opioid treatment-seeking experiences and identifying key behavioral, normative, and control beliefs that influence intentions to seek treatment, guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior. Using a qualitative, exploratory design, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 Black men residing in the Triangle region of North Carolina who have experienced OUD.
Thematic analysis was employed to uncover patterns in beliefs, perceived barriers, facilitators, and decision-making processes regarding treatment engagement. Findings revealed multifaceted influences, including distrust of healthcare systems, cultural perceptions of addiction, social support networks, and systemic barriers such as cost and availability of services. These understandings offer guidance for developing culturally responsive, community-informed interventions aimed at improving treatment engagement and ultimately reducing opioid-related health disparities among Black men. This study highlights the urgent need for targeted strategies that acknowledge and address the unique lived experiences of Black men navigating opioid use and recovery.
