The Impact of Substance Use Disorders on Families and Carers: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a persistent and global public health and social problem. This scoping review explores and describes the impact that Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) have on families and carers. It draws on 36 research ar cles published between January 2007 and August 2021. The review findings are presented according to three themes, namely (1) the impact of SUDs on families/ carers, (2) the burden on carers, and (3) coping responses to living with a person with SUD. The evidence indicates that SUDs in a family affects almost all domains of family members' and carers' lives, sugges ng the need to develop targeted harm reduc on interven ons that could reduce vulnerability and help restore the bio-psychosocial well-being of family members and carers.