A Social Ecological Approach to Predicting Alcohol, Cocaine, and Marijuana Use in Mothers Experiencing Poverty
Open AccessSubstance use among women has increased in recent years (SAMHSA, 2019). SAMHSA (2009) recommends that substance use be treated differently in women due to the biopsychosocial differences from men, such as progression of substance use disorders, comorbid and co-occurring psychological issues, and caregiving responsibilities. Their caregiving roles as mothers can impact substance use and subsequent treatment. 39% of female-headed households are experiencing poverty, putting mothers at additional risk for comorbid conditions associated with economic hardship (U.S. Census Bureau, 2017; Walker & Druss, 2017). Despite this growing public health concern among women, there is a need for research that will further clarify the factors that contribute to substance use in this population. This study examined a sample of 360 participants from the existing dataset collected as part of the longitudinal Maternal Lifestyle Study during 1993-2011. The Social Ecological Model (SEM) served as the underlying framework for this study, with the guiding research question: Does the SEM-composed of Individual-Level, Relational-Level, Community-Level, and Societal-Level factors- predict alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana use in mothers with a history of substance use who are experiencing poverty? Using multiple hierarchical regression analyses, this study examined the contribution of the Individual-Level (i.e., abuse, psychological issues, socioeconomic status), Relational-Level (i.e., peer drug use, family support), Community-Level (i.e., neighborhood disorder, adequacy of family resources), and Societal-Level (i.e., legal system involvement, government assistance programs) in predicting alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana use. All full regression models were statistically significant. Further, the Individual- and Relational-Levels made statistically significant contributions to overall substance use and marijuana use. The contribution to mothers’ substance use by factors such as psychological distress, trauma, and peer relationships, warrants ongoing assessment and treatment of these when counseling mothers with current or past substance use disorders.
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