This module is designed for healthcare professionals working in mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) services, as well as those in related fields. If you have not yet completed Module 6 - Understanding stigma in mental health and addiction care, we recommend starting there, as it provides essential context for the concepts explored here, including highlighting how integrated treatment improves engagement and recovery outcomes.

Engaging with both companion modules will equip you with a comprehensive understanding of stigma and empower you to create more inclusive and equitable healthcare environments.

In module 7, you will:

• Examine the different types of stigma;

• Explore how stigma impacts individuals, interpersonal relationships, and service delivery, including its effects on key population groups;

• Discover practical strategies to address stigma, supported by real life care examples.

Module duration: Approximately 80 minutes (self-paced; progress is saved for convenience)

Learning objectives

This module is broken down into two lessons addressing the following learning objectives:

• Recognise the types of stigma.

• Explore different strategies to address stigma.

Why this matters

People experiencing co-occurring mental health and AOD conditions often encounter 'double stigma' – the combined negative perceptions and stereotypes attached to each condition, which can create significant barriers to accessing and receiving quality treatment.

Research indicates that integrated care offering a welcoming, hopeful, timely and coordinated approach that simultaneously addresses both mental health and addiction concerns leads to improved engagement and recovery outcomes.

Understanding stigma is a key component of creating compassionate, inclusive healthcare environments that better suit the needs of everyone, including those with co-occurring conditions.