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Environmental Factors and Disparities in Substance Use Essay

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Introduction

The topic of the article by Mennis et al. (2016) concerns risky substance use environments and addiction. The main problem discussed is how substance use disorders are considered among the most pressing world public health issues. In recent times, study shows that environmental factors such as access to substances of abuse, environmental obstacles to treatment, and neighborhood disadvantage influence substance use behaviors.

Main Body

The evidence can be seen in how racial and socioeconomic inequities create risky surroundings that engender disparities in the rates of substance use problems as well as treatment outcomes (Mennis et al., 2016). Researchers should consider similar inequities in risky substance environments as an environmental justice issue (Mennis et al., 2016). This would help improve the approach toward treating disorders in all types of surroundings.

With a topic such as the one given in the article, it is always crucial to have other studies as support. A 2013 statistic for the United States shows that the rates of past-month illicit drug use by individuals twelve years and older were highest among Blacks (Czeisler et al., 2020). It is important to add that the suggested pattern has remained the same over the past decade (Czeisler et al., 2020). The way forward is for future research to focus on where, why, and how inequities in risky substance use environments happen, their implications for disparities in substance use health issues, and treatment outcomes.

Moreover, the implications for alcohol, tobacco, and drug policies and prevention and treatment initiatives. I agree with the idea since it appears to offer a solution to the root cause of a problem. Recognizing areas where cases of substance use disorders are more prevalent and knowing the reason behind that would enable researchers and government agencies to find better remedies. In addition, it would ensure equality in the government’s approach to the problem.

What I have found particularly interesting, and I believe to be relevant, is the idea that substance use disorders and treatment outcomes cannot be equal in different places, and environments influence this. The notion can be supported by various studies and statistics, especially when Blacks are compared to Whites (Mennis et al., 2016). According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the rate of illicit drug use in 2018 was about 12% for Blacks compared to 9% for Whites (Czeisler et al., 2020). The rate of alcohol use disorder was greater among African Americans than White Americans (Czeisler et al., 2020). The discrepancy may be linked to numerous economic and social factors such as racism, historical trauma, poverty, and restricted access to medical care and addiction treatment services. Dealing with the underlying issues is crucial to reducing the effect of substance use disorders on minorities.

What I disagree with is that the issue of substance use disorders is only affected by the environment. According to the study, the problem is not solely connected to environmental factors impacting African Americans. Whereas social and economic factors can lead to greater rates of substance use disorders in specific communities, there is evidence that biological and genetic factors play a role. For instance, the researchers discovered that genetic factors explained almost half of the variability in risk for developing alcohol use disorder (Czeisler et al., 2020).

Conclusion

Furthermore, studies have indicated that particular medications used in treating the disorders may be less effective for Blacks, suggesting biological differences as the cause. Thus, dealing with substance use disorders needs a multifaceted strategy considering the complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and biological factors.

References

Czeisler, M. É., Lane, R. I., Petrosky, E., Wiley, J. F., Christensen, A., Njai, R., & Rajaratnam, S. M. (2020). . Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 69(32), 1049-1057. Web.

Mennis, J., Stahler, G., & Mason, M. (2016). . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(6), 607. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2024, October 24). Environmental Factors and Disparities in Substance Use. https://ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-factors-and-disparities-in-substance-use/

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IvyPanda. 2024. "Environmental Factors and Disparities in Substance Use." October 24, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-factors-and-disparities-in-substance-use/.

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IvyPanda. "Environmental Factors and Disparities in Substance Use." October 24, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/environmental-factors-and-disparities-in-substance-use/.

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