The harmful impact of stigma on individuals struggling with opioid addiction

May 14, 2024

1 min

Valerie Earnshaw

People in recovery from opioid use disorder often struggle with decisions to tell others about their past substance use, treatment, and/or recovery. Although disclosures that go well can lead to social support that is helpful for recovery, disclosures that go poorly can lead to stigma that can harm recovery.


Valerie Earnshaw, associate professor in the College of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Delaware, specializes in speaking about addiction and stigma and can speak on this phenomenon. 



She recently spoke about this topic a the annual Marion H. Steele Symposium at UD. 


Earnshaw charted the growth of the opioid crisis in the United States, discussed stigma as a complex social process with the power to affect health outcomes and shared her work on an intervention she designed to help people with the disclosure process.


She can be contacted by clicking her "View Profile" button. 


Connect with:
Valerie Earnshaw

Valerie Earnshaw

Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Sciences

Prof. Earnshaw examines associations between stigma and health inequities.

Health InequitiesHealth OutcomesHIV StigmaAIDS StigmaStigmatized Conditions‎

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from University of Delaware

1 min

Understanding and predicting extreme weather in a changing climate

Kelsey Malloy is an assistant professor of climatology in the University of Delaware’s Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences, where she leads the Malloy Climate Research Group. Her research seeks to understand predictable climate variability and how large-scale climate patterns shape local weather and drive extreme events such as tornado outbreaks, floods and severe storms. Malloy’s research advances the predictability and understanding of severe weather in the United States and beyond. Her studies, published in Monthly Weather Review, Weather and Forecasting and Earth’s Future, have shed light on the climate signals influencing tornado activity and Great Plains rainfall. A member of the U.S. CLIVAR Predictability, Predictions, and Applications Interface Panel, Malloy also teaches courses in meteorological analysis and climatology, preparing the next generation of atmospheric scientists. In November 2025, Malloy will share her passion for climate science at TEDxUniversityofDelaware, using storytelling to illustrate climate’s enduring fingerprint on human history and experience. To speak with Malloy about the weather, email mediarelations@ude.edu.

1 min

Global trade shifts: The long-term implications of Trump's tariff policies on international relations

Everyone from farmers to Fortune 500 companies are now feeling the impact of Trump administration tariffs aimed primarily at reducing the trade deficit and reviving domestic manufacturing. University of Delaware experts offer insight into the economic, political and social impacts of these tariffs and what the future of U.S. trade policy may hold. Experts available: Alice Ba, associate professor, International Relations and Comparative Politics – Topic: Economic implications of tariffs on domestic industries and global supply chains. Dan Green, associate professor, International Relations and Political Theory – Topic: Political dynamics of U.S. trade policy and congressional responses. Dan Kinderman, professor, Comparative Politics and International Relations – Topic: Impacts on international business relationships and corporate strategy. Robert Denemark, professor, International Relations – Global geopolitical implications and international relations perspectives. Stuart Kaufman, professor, Political Science and International Relations – Historical context and comparative analysis of past U.S. trade policies. Journalists who would like to speak with these experts can click on their profiles or email mediarelations@udel.edu.

1 min

NBA stars' leg injuries loom over the new season. What's the prognosis?

Over the past year, fans in multiple NBA cities watched in horror as their stars went down with major lower leg injuries. And even though players like Tyrese Haliburton (ankle), Jayson Tatum (ankle) and Kyrie Irving (knee) will be back at some point, it’s quite possible they will never return to their prior peak, says the University of Delaware’s Dr. Karin Gravare Silbernagel. Dr. Silbernagel, an associate professor of physical therapy at UD, studies tendon injuries in the ankle and knee in elite athletes, especially Achilles ruptures and ankle function. She was quoted in an ESPN story on this topic at the end of last season and can specifically address the stars' injuries and what it might mean for their careers. Her research shows that even after successful surgery, many players return to the court but not many among them return to peak explosiveness or durability. Dr. Silbernagel, whose research on ankle and knee injuries dates back to the early 2000s, can also talk about the larger pattern of lower leg injuries reshaping the NBA. She consults with professional sports teams relating to tendon injuries and is a consultant to the NFL's Musculoskeletal Committee. To connect with Dr. Silbernagel directly and arrange an interview, visit her profile and click on the "contact" button. Interested reporters can also email MediaRelatons@udel.edu.

View all posts