Genetic, Behavioral, and Health-Related Associations in the Journal on Drug and Alcohol Dependence: A Scoping Review
Open Access
- Author:
- Coates, De Jah
- Area of Honors:
- Biobehavioral Health
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Alexis R Santos, Thesis Supervisor
Marie P Cross, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- substance use
health disparities - Abstract:
- Substance use among people in the United States and emphasis on genetic influences has been present since early studies on the matter. Further interest in the complex interplay between substance use and genetics, and their joint influence on health, has also been of interest. However, this research is not without limitations, and study conditions, points of interest, and biological arguments vary from study to study. This situation highlights the need for studying the state of the field and the aforementioned variation. This thesis presents a scoping review of research that ties substance use, genetics, and health by focusing on the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, one of the major outlets in the field. A scoping review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) extension for Scoping Reviews. A total of 120 studies address, in some way, the specific interest of this review. Results suggest wide variation in publication trends, sample demographics, substance use elements, the genetic marker, and study design. The resulting analysis reveals that the current literature encompasses a broad range of gene and behavior interactions and, moderately, acknowledges the health outcomes associated with long-term substance use. Despite the currently available literature covering a broad spectrum of genes, behaviors, and health outcomes, new studies are needed to continue to explore genetic diversity and demographics of the sample and address the limitations of current studies to broaden understanding of substance use disorder as it relates to health outcomes in the field and inform the development of novel treatments.