TY - JOUR
T1 - Social vulnerabilities for substance use
T2 - Stressors, socially toxic environments, and discrimination and racism
AU - Amaro, Hortensia
AU - Sanchez, Mariana
AU - Bautista, Tara
AU - Cox, Robynn
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)
PY - 2021/5/1
Y1 - 2021/5/1
N2 - Applying a social determinants of health framework, this review brings attention to evidence from social sciences and neuroscience on the role of selected social factors in individual and population-level vulnerability to substance use and substance use disorders (SUDs). The understanding that social vulnerability to substance use and SUDs is multifaceted and occurs across different levels of influence (individual, interpersonal, community, and societal) is underscored. We propose that socially based stressors play a critical role in creating vulnerability to substance use and SUDs, and as such, deserve greater empirical attention to further understand how they “get under the skin.” Current knowledge from social sciences and neuroscience on the relationships among vulnerability to substance use resulting from stressors, exposure to socially toxic childhood environments, and racism and discrimination are summarized and discussed, as are implications for future research, practice, and policy. Specifically, we propose using a top-down approach to the examination of known, yet often unexplored, relationships between vulnerability to substance use and SUDs, related inequities, and potential differential effects across demographic groups. Finally, research gaps and promising areas of research, practice, and policy focused on ameliorating social vulnerabilities associated with substance use and SUDs across the lifespan are presented.
AB - Applying a social determinants of health framework, this review brings attention to evidence from social sciences and neuroscience on the role of selected social factors in individual and population-level vulnerability to substance use and substance use disorders (SUDs). The understanding that social vulnerability to substance use and SUDs is multifaceted and occurs across different levels of influence (individual, interpersonal, community, and societal) is underscored. We propose that socially based stressors play a critical role in creating vulnerability to substance use and SUDs, and as such, deserve greater empirical attention to further understand how they “get under the skin.” Current knowledge from social sciences and neuroscience on the relationships among vulnerability to substance use resulting from stressors, exposure to socially toxic childhood environments, and racism and discrimination are summarized and discussed, as are implications for future research, practice, and policy. Specifically, we propose using a top-down approach to the examination of known, yet often unexplored, relationships between vulnerability to substance use and SUDs, related inequities, and potential differential effects across demographic groups. Finally, research gaps and promising areas of research, practice, and policy focused on ameliorating social vulnerabilities associated with substance use and SUDs across the lifespan are presented.
KW - Discrimination
KW - Racism
KW - Social vulnerabilities
KW - Socially toxic environments
KW - Stressors
KW - Substance use
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85103342007&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108518
DO - 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108518
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33716076
AN - SCOPUS:85103342007
SN - 0028-3908
VL - 188
JO - Neuropharmacology
JF - Neuropharmacology
M1 - 108518
ER -