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Stigma and Discrimination in relation to the use of illicit drugs

Paul Dessauer

Paul works for the West Australian Substance Users Association, (WASUA), a not-for-profit NGO that provides peer-education, harm reduction, and health treatment services for people who use illicit drugs.

Paul currently coordinates WASUA’s Outreach Team, WASUA Overdose Prevention and Management and Peer-Naloxone programs, the Opioid Pharmacotherapy Advocacy and Complaints Service, and WASUA’s Aboriginal Community Engagement team. He also provides consultancy, training, and education to other agencies and guest-lectures to several universities.

Paul has worked at WASUA for more than 17 years. Paul has also worked as a Drug and Alcohol Officer for the State-wide Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service, as an educator and consultant for the Transnational Institute (in China and Myanmar) and as a trainer for the Burnet Institute for Public Health.

In 2002 Paul was awarded an Alcohol and Drug Council of Australia (ADCA) Australia Day Medal.

About this resource

In this short video Paul Dessauer, Outreach Coordinator from WASUA, discusses the impact of stigma and discrimination, and how the experience or perception of inequitable treatment can act as a barrier to accessing health services. People who use drugs frequently experience discrimination in health-care settings. Preconceptions on the part of medical professionals can lead to inadequate assessment or treatment of serious health problems. Previous experience of inequitable treatment and of judgemental attitudes can actively deter people from seeking help in a timely fashion. Paul gives some simple pragmatic advice for health workers about how to engage more effectively, from the drug users’ point of view.

Further reading

UNAIDS

International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD).

AIVL

  • “Why shouldn’t I discriminate against all of them?”

AOD Media Watch

Lives of Substance

NADA

The Mindframe for Alcohol and Other Drugs project uses research evidence to reduce stigma associated with AOD use, increase help-seeking behaviour in people who may require treatment or support, and minimise harm.

WA Primary Health AlliancePrimary Health Network: Perth North, Perth South, Country WA

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