Appalachian Church Leaders: An IPA Study to Understand Their Experiences with Substance Misuse

• Main Author: Thomas, Michael Evan
• Other Authors: Adult Learning and Human Resource Development
• Format: Others
• Published: Virginia Tech 2020
• Subjects: Appalachia; Substance misuse; opioid use; church leaders; IPA; qualitative research
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10919/97246

The region of Appalachia in the United States is a diverse region that is full of beauty, mountains, art, and culture. Due to a history of abuse from large corporations, the impact of the decline in coal mining and generational poverty, the region is currently on a road toward recovery. Substance misuse rates are disproportionality high, and there are limited resources available to address the issue. Literature suggests that church leaders may be a potential resource. The goal of the study was to provide a better understanding of the substance misuse epidemic through the eyes of church leaders. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis guided this qualitative study. Church leaders (n = 10) were interviewed and four significant themes emerged: narratives used to describe their experiences with substance misuse, the stigma associated with substance misuse, the community impact that substance misuse has on Appalachia, and the lack of understanding and need for training on substance misuse for church leaders and healthcare practitioners. The results of the study are discussed and connected to discussions of the implications for clinical practice, recommendations for further research, and limitations of the study. === Doctor of Philosophy === Appalachia is a mountain range located in the eastern portion of the United States. It is a diverse region that is full of beauty, mountains, art, and culture. Due to a history of abuse from large corporations, the impact of the decline in coal mining and generational poverty, the region is currently on a road toward recovery. Substance misuse rates are disproportionality high, and there are limited healthcare resources available to address the issue. The goal of the presented study was to provide a better understanding of the substance misuse epidemic through the experiences of church leaders, which are abundant in the region. Church leaders, a sample of 10, were interviewed and four significant topics emerged from their stories shared: narratives used to describe their experiences with substance misuse, the stigma associated with substance misuse, the community impact that substance misuse has on Appalachia, and the lack of understanding and need for training on substance misuse for church leaders and healthcare practitioners. The results of this study suggest that church leaders may be used as a resource to help lower the impact of substance misuse. The experiences of the church leaders gained from this study can help provide training to church leaders and healthcare providers on ways to work together and lower substance misuse in Appalachia.