article · Issues in Mental Health Nursing
This research examines attitudes towards illicit drug use by interviewing 19 family members of women who use drugs in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The study captures how families navigate the social consequences and personal perceptions tied to substance use. Findings reveal widespread disapproval and stigma, with drug users commonly linked to danger and criminality. However, women experience a higher degree of social stigma and judgment than men, driven by cultural norms surrounding femininity and motherhood. Alongside these critical views, family members also express empathy and call for constructive assistance. Participants voiced a clear desire to help affected individuals and highlighted the necessity of improving access to treatment services. The findings suggest that interventions must be culturally tailored and gender-sensitive to alleviate community stigma and support affected families.
Drug use is projected to rise across Africa, making it vital to understand the community barriers that hinder healthcare access. By showing how cultural roles worsen stigma specifically for women, this study helps healthcare planners understand why women avoid care. It also highlights that families, despite their reservations, are willing partners in advocating for treatment and recovery.
The findings can inform the design of specialised, gender-sensitive mental health programmes and community support services developed by healthcare providers and public health organisations. As early-stage qualitative research, the work provides an evidence base rather than a direct commercial product, meaning any resulting intervention frameworks or training packages would require practical development and testing before deployment.
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The stigma surrounding drug use adversely affects the health and wellbeing of people who use drugs. With projected increases in drug use in Africa over the next decade, understanding public perceptions of drug use is critical. This study explores perceptions and attitudes toward illicit drug use from the viewpoint of the families of women who use drugs. In March 2019, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 family members of women who use drugs in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The interviews included a closed-ended survey and open-ended questions about drug use attitudes. We thematically analyzed open-ended responses and summarized survey response frequencies. Three key themes emerged: (1) disapproval and stigma regarding drug use, (2) increased stigma and social consequences for women who use drugs, and (3) empathy and a call for support and intervention. Participants viewed people who use drugs negatively, associating them with danger and criminality. Women faced harsher judgment due to cultural expectations of femininity and motherhood. Despite these negative perceptions and attitudes, participants wanted to support people who use drugs, advocating for better access to treatment. Culturally tailored, gender-sensitive interventions are essential to reduce stigma and improve outcomes for these women and their families.
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DOI: 10.1080/01612840.2024.2445008
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