An investigation into the impact of racial discrimination on cannabis use

广泛的文献表明，种族歧视的经历可能对少数民族群体内部的多种健康结果产生重大影响。特别是，来自美国的研究指出，种族歧视是一种社会心理压力源，并导致心血管疾病（Panza, Puhl, Taylor, Zaleski， Livington和Pescatello 2019）以及情绪和焦虑症（Chou， Asnaani和Hofmann 2011）的发展。该领域的早期研究采用了自下而上的方法来研究少数民族和白人之间的健康差异。其中假设这些差异可以通过种族之间的生物/内生差异来解释，然而，这种假设充满了种族主义刻板印象和科学误解。然而，当代研究现在采取了自上而下的方法来调查种族健康差异，假设歧视等社会因素可能解释种族群体之间健康结果的差异（Williams和Jackson 2005； Amaro, Sanchez， Bautista和Cox 2021）。具体来说，种族歧视被假设为物质使用障碍（SUD）和酒精中毒易感性的潜在社会决定因素。这是基于有充分证据的假设，即受到急性和慢性社会心理压力源（特别是在生命早期）的个体更容易寻求药物和有问题的使用（Hassanbeigi, Askari， Hassanbeigi和Pourmovahed 2013； Moustafa, Parkes， Fitzgerald和Underhill等人2018）。种族歧视与SUD发展之间的联系已通过各种研究方法得到例证。例如，Calixte-Civil等人（2020）证明，在一组黑人吸烟者中，实验诱导的群体排斥感降低了戒烟成功率。纵向和调查研究已经确定，亚裔和黑人美国人自我报告的种族歧视会增加酒精和物质使用的风险，以及物质使用认知（Gibbons, Etcheverry， Stock等人2010；Yoo, Gee， Lowthrop和Robertson 2010； Brody, Kogan, and Chen 2012）。然而，有趣的是，个人/人格特征被认为可以缓和或调解感知到的种族歧视与物质/酒精使用风险之间的关系。关于这一主题的文献相当稀少，然而现有的研究指出，冲动性可能会影响种族歧视对物质使用敏感性的预测强度（Gibbons， O'Hara, Stock and Gerrard et al 2021）。Riley, Clifton, Khazvand and Zapolski 2021)。目前的研究将以上述早期发现为基础。

It is widely documented that the experiences of racial discrimination can have a significant impact on multiple health outcomes within ethnic minority groups. In particular, research from US points to racial discrimination functioning as a psychosocial stressor and contributing to the development of cardiovascular disease (Panza, Puhl, Taylor, Zaleski, Livington and Pescatello 2019) and mood and anxiety disorders (Chou, Asnaani and Hofmann 2011). Earlier research within this field took a bottom-up approach to the health disparities between ethnic minorities and white individuals. Wherein it was assumed these differences could be accounted for by biological/endogenous differences between ethnicities, this assumption however was laden with racist stereotypes and scientific misconceptions. Whereas contemporary research has now taken a top-down approach to investigate ethnic health disparities, positing that social factors e.g. discrimination may account for differences in health outcomes between ethnic groups ( Williams and Jackson 2005; Amaro, Sanchez, Bautista and Cox 2021). Specifically, racial discrimination has been hypothesised as a potential social determinant for vulnerability to substance use disorders (SUD) and alcoholism. This is based upon the well-documented assumption that individuals subject to acute and chronic psychosocial stressors (particularly in early life) have increased susceptibility to drug-seeking and problematic usage (Hassanbeigi, Askari, Hassanbeigi and Pourmovahed 2013; Moustafa, Parkes, Fitzgerald and Underhill et al 2018). The association between racial discrimination and SUD development has been exemplified by a variety of research methodologies. For example, Calixte-Civil et al (2020) demonstrated that experimentally induced feelings of group exclusion within a cohort of Black smokers lowered the rates of successful smoking cessation. Longitudinal and survey studies have identified that self-reported perceived racial discrimination in Asian and Black Americans increases the risk of alcohol and substance use, and substance use cognitions (Gibbons, Etcheverry, Stock et al 2010;Yoo, Gee, Lowthrop and Robertson 2010; Brody, Kogan, and Chen 2012). Interestingly however, individual/personality traits have been suggested to moderate or mediate the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and substance/alcohol use risk. The literature on this topic is fairly scarce, however the research available points to impulsivity potentially impacting the predictive strength of racial discrimination on substance use susceptibility ( Gibbons, O'Hara, Stock and Gerrard et al 2021) Latzman, Chan and Shishido 2013; Riley, Clifton, Khazvand and Zapolski 2021). The present research will aim to build upon the early findings described above.