Diversity Issues in Substance Abuse Treatment and Research

lthough the term “diversity” is widely used, there is often no agree- A ment as to its meaning or how attention to diversity should be - erationalized within the context of programming or research. This text provides a foundation for the examination of such issues, with sugg- tions for the integration of various approaches into substance use tre- ment programs and research. The impetus for this work derived from multiple interactions over a period of several years with colleagues, s- dents, research participants, and community-based providers, who noted the frequent inattention paid to such concerns in the context of treatment and research, often despite an acknowledgment of a group’s particular historical legacy in the United States and the impact of that history on the initiationandprolongationofsubstanceusewithinaspeci?edcommunity, or the barriers to treatment that may have resulted. Chapter 1 de?nes what is meant by diversity through an examination ofrelatedterms,suchas“culture,”“ethnicity”“race,”“sex,”“gender,”and “sexual orientation. ” Clearly, this discussion does not and cannot re?ect all possible permutations of human existence that re?ect diversity. For instance, although the text does make mention of considerations related to religious differences and cognitive capacity, neither is highlighted as a separatetopic. Additionally,theemphasisonspeci?edgroupsisnotmeant to imply that other groups, such as Euro-Americans or heterosexual men, do not have concerns that may differ from those of other communities and that deserve consideration in the development and implementation of programs and research endeavors. However trite it may seem, one text cannot do it all.