Does Poverty Cause Addiction? Comparing Experiences with Alcoholism and Substance Abuse by Social Class, Race and Ethnicity

Abstract

This article investigates how social class plays a role in how an individual may experience alcoholism and substance abuse. Research articles were selected from a variety of databases and analyzed. Results showed that although social class may not lead directly to substance abuse, the factors that do contribute are affected not only by one’s class but also by their race and ethnicity. Such factors include economic constraints, social networks, opportunities for substance abuse treatment and their experiences within treatment. Implications for future research include the need for a more detailed look at the connections between social networks and substance abuse; differences in treatment episode completion based on race, ethnicity and social class; and how the present opioid epidemic is affecting changes in drug policies.