Substance use disorder and PTSD amongst Black South African women: Scoping review

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Substance use disorder (SUD) have been widely researched as separate entities with little evidence  confirming a link between the two. This Scoping Review (SR) was aimed at identifying and mapping literature that illustrate a relationship between PTSD and SUD amongst Black women in South Africa while highlighting the various gaps that exist in literature. The SR applied the PICo  (Ppopulation; I- interest Co- context) framework in formulating the research questions. Then, an in-depth and comprehensive search was conducted in the various online databases to locate the most relevant and empirical studies using key words that underpin the inclusion criteria. The search was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) index and produced the PRISMA model. To make sense of the findings, Traumatogenicity theory reflected that victims of trauma try to self-medicate as a way of dealing with painful experiences. The findings brought to light the various intersectional factors that influence and determine the severity of this relationship.

Keywords: Substance Use Disorder, Post Traumatic Use Disorder, South Africa, Black Women, Scoping Review