The Effects of Mass Media Photographs on Drug-Related Stigma

December 16, 2024 updated by: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

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

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.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

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.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
3570

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21205
        • Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

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

Exclusion Criteria:

  • not able to complete experiment and survey in English

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
No Intervention: No exposure control group
This group was not exposed to any drug-related photo.
Experimental: Photo of person injecting drugs
Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a photo of a person injecting drugs.
Behavioral: Photo of a person injecting drugs
Exposed to a photo of a person injecting drugs
Experimental: Photo of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responding to an overdose (White)
Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a photo of EMS responding to a white person who had overdosed.
Behavioral: Photo of EMS responding to an overdose (White)
Exposed to a photo of EMS responding to an overdose (White)
Experimental: Photo of EMS responding to an overdose (Black)
Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a photo of EMS responding to a Black person who had overdosed.
Behavioral: Photo of EMS responding to an overdose (Black)
Exposed to a photo of EMS responding to an overdose (Black)
Experimental: Photo of a person receiving treatment (Jail)
Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a photo of a person receiving methadone treatment in jail.
Behavioral: Photo of a person receiving treatment (Jail)
Exposed to a photo of a person receiving treatment (Jail)
Experimental: Photo of a person receiving treatment (Community)
Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a photo of a person receiving methadone treatment in a community setting.
Behavioral: Photo of a person receiving treatment (Community)
Exposed to a photo of a person receiving treatment (Community)
Experimental: Photo of a person in recovery (White)
Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a photo of a white person in recovery in their workplace.
Behavioral: Photo of a person in recovery (White)
Exposed to a photo of a person in recovery (White)
Experimental: Photo of a person in recovery (Black)
Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a photo of a Black person in recovery in their workplace.
Behavioral: Photo of a person in recovery (Black)
Exposed to a photo of a person in recovery (Black)
Experimental: Photo of a family member of an overdose decedent
Participants randomized to this arm were exposed to a photo of a person who had lost a family member to an overdose.
Behavioral: Photo of a family member of an overdose decedent
Exposed to a photo of a family member of an overdose decedent

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Angry)
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Sympathy)
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Disgust)
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Pity)
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Social Distance Scale (Family)
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Social Distance Scale (Neighbor)
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Social Distance Scale (Work Closely)
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Social Distance Scale (close friend)
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Feeling-Thermometer measure of warmth towards people with substance use disorders
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating of warmth felt toward people with substance use disorder with 0 indicating extremely cold and 100 indicating extremely warm.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating of agreement that recovery is possible
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating of willingness to have a drug treatment program in their neighborhood
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating of willingness to have a syringe exchange program in their neighborhood
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating of willingness to have a syringe exchange program in their neighborhood with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Rating of willingness to have a safe consumption site in their neighborhood
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Participant's rating of willingness to have a safe consumption site in their neighborhood with 1 indicating greater willingness and 5 indicating greater unwillingness.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Number of participants having a family member with a substance use disorder
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Personal 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Number of participants having a close friend with a substance use disorder
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Personal 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Number of participants having substance use disorder
Time Frame: Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention
Personal 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.
Immediately post-exposure to photo intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Vital Strategies

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Alene Kennedy-Hendricks, PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 20, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 8, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 8, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 16, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 16, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 16, 2024

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB00026173

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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