This literature review aimed to research articles related to substance abuse through a number of databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Aspen University library resources. The database search, performed in an empirical way, contributes to the overall quality of the research (American Psychological Association, 2020). In addition it, several keywords were employed during the search analysis, such as substance use disorder, drug abuse, addiction, substance use, and substance abuse treatment. This helped in narrowing the research and resulted in the selection of six literature sources, including four scholarly journal articles and two websites.
Research on substance use disorder issues has significantly increased during the last few decades. It is crucial to comprehend the basic variables of the issue, which is covered in National Institute of Mental Health (2021) article. Through a variety of theoretical frameworks, it shows that a growing corpus of research aims to further the knowledge of drug use disorders and assist treatment. Moreover, numerous publications have made an effort to explain the link between adolescence and the risk of drug use disorders. While the majority of young people are in good health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022) notes that others are more prone to participate in harmful behaviors that might harm their bodies, such as drug or alcohol use. Most persons who satisfy the diagnostic criteria for drug or alcohol addiction started abusing substances in their teens or early years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Therefore, drug use disorders in youth are linked to a higher likelihood of experiencing psychological and physical health issues, a decline in overall health, and a lower quality of life.
The modern world is rife with these negative repercussions. Substance use problems affecting parents and other caregivers can negatively impact the health, well-being, and safety of children, according to the Child Welfare Information Gateway (2020). When parents or other family members use alcohol or drugs, there is rising worry about the negative impact on children. Exposing a youngster to any phase of the drug manufacture or distribution process is prohibited in 14 states. However, this causes other serious issues, such as inadequate regulation of the distribution of drugs. Therefore, the main goal is to educate parents and then adjust the legislation accordingly.
The present amount of research demonstrates that there is still a lack of a clear association between substance use disorders and patients’ pre-existing diseases. The lack of research on the frequency of drug dependency among heart failure patients and its relationship to hospitalizations is confirmed by an article by Nishimura et al. (2020). The study shows that drug abuse is independently linked to future heart failure hospitalizations at rates equivalent to known comorbidities (Nishimura et al., 2020). The prognosis of heart failure patients in these settings can be enhanced by raising drug usage awareness and treatment accessibility.
Programs investigating the essential interventions to combat drug use disorders are growing. Grim & Grim (2019) demonstrate that while life-saving medications and counseling are vital for salvation and rehabilitation, they are insufficient on their own. Medical care alone might not be able to address all of these issues. In light of these facts, the authors express worry about the fact that fewer Americans self-identify as religious since this may limit options for drug misuse prevention and treatment (Grim & Grim, 2019).
The substantial empirical data on the role of belief in avoiding substance misuse and assisting those who have already succumbed to it are also examined in the research of Milstein et al. (2020). The authors contend that the benefits of faith-based strategies for preventing substance misuse and promoting recovery are vital in the community (Milstein et al., 2020). Religion and religious participation can be important in addressing the issues that lead to drug addiction. Thus, a viable approach to combating drug misuse may be the use of non-traditional therapies like religious counseling and the use of religious communion.
The inequality in treatment and hospitalization of individuals with substance use disorders, based on their race and ethnicity, is one of the frequent issues that is regularly reiterated. The US has significant difficulties in this area as a nation prone to this delicate topic. Pinedo’s (2019) article sought to reevaluate whether racial/ethnic inequalities in treatment utilization still exist. As a result, despite attempts to increase insurance coverage and access to such programs, racial gaps still exist (Pinedo, 2019). After adjusting for sociodemographic traits, issue severity, and perceived need for treatment, these correlations remained statistically significant. Participants may, however, have underreported their usage of therapy, given the delicate nature of substance use and treatment.
Another article on the topic by Vilsaint et al. (2019) attempted to consider outside factors, including education and income. With the help of specialized treatment, the authors claim, substance misuse and its harmful effects can be effectively addressed (Vilsaint et al., 2019). Additionally, the foundation of advancement in this field should be the education and promotion of patients receiving nonjudgmental care and treatment regardless of their ethnicity.
While research on prevention and new approaches to resistance to substance use disorders is critical, it is also important to consider existing trends and analyze medical surveys. In this regard, the study by Seitz et al. (2019) provides valuable information on this topic. The study’s findings indicate that there has been a decline in alcohol and cigarette use (Seitz et al., 2019). The frequency of substance use should be constantly monitored, though, and the strength of any necessary preventative measures should be increased. To guarantee that the decreasing trend does not continue in the future, precautions and early identification should be taken (Seitz et al., 2019). Despite a number of limitations, such as the variety of sampling techniques and sample characteristics, the authors were able to limit the impact of these possible confounders on the results. The study made the assumption that effective measures to lessen substance use led to a decrease in the financial, sick, and lethal impact on the general public.
The selected literature aims at uncovering and researching the issue of substance use disorders from different perspectives. This is vital to ensure an encompassing approach that will attempt to take into account different factors, such as gender and age or the potential of religious therapy. The versatility of existing literature allows to ensure such methodology and contributes to the deepening of the scholarly corpus. Despite the existing gaps in the evaluation of different aspects of substance use disorders, the positive trend of literature diversity was discovered within the search process and analysis of its results. This will ensure the potential and benefit of the study.
References
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). American Psychological Association.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2022). High-risk substance use among youth. Web.
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2020). Parental substance use as child abuse. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, Children’s Bureau. Web.
Grim, B. J., & Grim, M. E. (2019). Belief, behavior, and belonging: How faith is indispensable in preventing and recovering from substance abuse. Journal of Religion and Health, 58(5), 1713-1750. Web.
Milstein, G., Palitsky, R., & Cuevas, A. (2020). The religion variable in community health promotion and illness prevention. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 48(1), 1-6. Web.
National Institute of Mental Health (2021). Substance use and co-occurring mental disorders. Web.
Nishimura, M., Bhatia, H., Ma, J., Dickson, S. D., Alshawabkeh, L., Adler, E., Maisel, A., Criqui, H., Greenberg, B., & Thomas, I. (2020). The impact of substance abuse on heart failure hospitalizations. The American Journal of Medicine, 133(2), 207–213. Web.
Pinedo, M. (2019). A current re-examination of racial/ethnic disparities in the use of substance abuse treatment: Do disparities persist?Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 202, 162–167. Web.
Schindler, A. (2019). Attachment and substance use disorders—theoretical models, empirical evidence, and implications for treatment. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10(1), 727-741. Web.
Seitz, N. N., LochbĂĽhler, K., Atzendorf, J., Rauschert, C., Pfeiffer-Gerschel, T., & Kraus, L. (2019). Trends in substance use and related disorders: Analysis of the epidemiological survey of substance abuse 1995 to 2018. Deutsches Ă„rzteblatt International, 116(36), 585-591. Web.
Vilsaint, C. L., Name yar, A., Film, M., Sedakova, E., Kessler, R. C., Simpson, N. A. & Alegria, M. (2019). Racial/ethnic differences in 12-month prevalence and persistence of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders: Variation by nativity and socioeconomic status. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 89, 52-60. Web.