“There’s a lot of people who love them, so why call ‘em junkies?”: clinician and patient perspectives about words used to describe people who use drugs

Addressing language usage is a critical opportunity to promote inclusion and reduce bias amongst PWUD. As medical charts become increasingly accessible by patients, the use of language by the clinician becomes increasingly important. To create and maintain equitable systems of care, it is important to meet clinicians where they are at and to work with them to address these issues. This can include targeted educational sessions and resources informing clinicians on preferred language use and curriculum for providers-in-training.