Ethnic minority women, health behaviors, and drug abuse: A continuum of psychosocial risks.

Abstract

For far too long, the differences in drug use by men and women were noted only in national surveys, which showed that more men than women used illegal drugs and that men were apt to use them more frequently and more heavily than women. More recently, however, evidence has accumulated that indicates that the differences in men's and women's drug use may reflect differences in both causes and effects. Drug use results in different health effects for women, and women require different approaches to treatment than those needed by men. Researchers also have learned that among women, ethnic minority women suffer disproportionately from the effects of illegal drug use.During the same period, a great deal has been learned about factors that influence women's general health decisions and behaviors, as well as factors that are barriers to healthy behaviors (

Social Inequality and Racial Discrimination: Risk Factors for Health Disparities in Children of Color

“…[135][136][137][138][139][140][141][142][143][144][145][146][147] A tension-reduction hypothesis 135,136 suggests that substance use in communities of color could be related to affective anxiety or depression states associated with social stressors such as racial discrimination that increase the motivation to self-medicate. Chronic states of physiological reactivity might exacerbate the psychological distress.…”

Violence Exposure and Health-Related Risk Among African American Adolescent Female Detainees: A Strategy for Reducing Recidivism

“…Similarly, Sanders-Phillips (1999a, 1999b) has argued that substance use, which is related to HIV risk, is also substantially influenced by ethnicity and gender. Therefore, the impact of ethnicity and gender on substance use must be acknowledged when addressing an adolescent’s risk for HIV/AIDS.…”

“…There is also growing awareness that, especially for young women of color, relationships between gender, race, oppression, substance use, and AIDS risk may be exacerbated by daily life experiences that include high rates of community violence and poverty. These life experiences can reinforce feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness that may significantly increase substance use and limit a woman’s ability or motivation to engage in self-protective behaviors (Sanders-Phillips, 1999a, 1999b). …”

Perceived Discrimination and Substance Use among Latino Adolescents

“…Among African Americans, significant correlations have also been found between perceptions of discrimination and reports of drug use, 19 smoking, 20 and alcohol use. 21 Given the potential long term and far-reaching effects of these perceptions, it appears that more studies of the discrimination and substance use relation are needed.…”