Prevalence Of Substance Abuse Research Articles

Analisis Metode Pendidikan Kesehatan Berbasis Online dalam Peningkatan Pengetahuan dan Sikap Pencegahan Narkoba pada Anak Usia Remaja

The results of a survey by the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) in 2018 stated that the prevalence of drug abuse in students reached 4.7 percent of the total number of students in Indonesia or around 921,695 people. This requires serious attention from health practitioners and education to make prevention efforts. The programs that are being promoted include, among others, effective online health education, through cellphones, whatsapp groups and other online facilities. The purpose of the study was to analyze the effect of online-based health education on the level of knowledge and attitudes of adolescents in drug prevention. This study is a quantitative study with a quasi-experimental design using a pre-posttest design without a control group. The research sample was 30 respondents from SMPN 2 Sumberlawang, which was held in July-September 2020. Data collection was by giving a questionnaire via an online g-form. The data were tested using the Wilcoxon test. Results: there was a significant effect (p-value = 0.000 < 0.005) of providing health education interventions through whatsapp groups using voice notes and videos about drug prevention on the level of knowledge and attitudes of SMPN 2 Sumberlawang students.

Abstract B123: A descriptive study of substance use and cardiovascular issues among Nigerian men with prostate cancer

Abstract Introduction: Black males face a higher incidence of prostate cancer compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Cardiovascular disorders, including hypertension and metabolic syndrome, are more frequently observed in black men with prostate cancer, significantly impacting their quality of life, treatment outcomes, and related challenges. Socioeconomic disparities and stress also pose significant challenges for black men who engage in substance use, such as tobacco or alcohol. The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of cardiovascular issues and substance abuse specifically among black males diagnosed with prostate cancer. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined associations between substance abuse, cardiovascular co-morbidities, and diagnoses of prostate cancer in men in Nigeria, Africa. It utilized data collected from the Prostate Cancer Transatlantic Consortium (CaPTC) Familial Cohort Study, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study initiated in 2018 which explores risk factors of prostate cancer among African Black men in Nigeria, Cameroon, and the United States (U.S.). Descriptive statistics generated association tables for variables captured. Results: From 708 participants who resided in Nigeria, 117 reported prostate cancer diagnoses compared to 580 who denied any cancer diagnoses. Median age of participants was 50, most were married (98.1%), Christian (65.8%), college educated (29.4%), with professional occupations (29.4%) and an average household income of 1,000,000 + Naira (24.2%). Marijuana use and alcohol consumption were identified to have statistically significant associations with prostate cancer diagnoses (p=0.003, p<0.001, respectively), while smoking (p=0.13), weight (p=0.22), and annual physicals (p=0.39) were not found to be significant predictors of prostate cancer diagnoses. Conclusion: Both marijuana and alcohol use were found to have significant associations with prostate cancer diagnoses in Nigerian men. Further research is directed to explore similar associations in Black men of other locations to confirm. This study provides a glimpse of associations of substance use and cardiovascular concerns in black males with prostate cancer. It is crucial for interventions to identify and understand the role of substance dependence and cardiovascular disorders in black males with prostate cancer to effectively address all risk factors, implementing lifestyle modifications, and providing culturally appropriate care, ultimately improving outcomes and reducing health disparities. Citation Format: Brittany M. Norris, Marvin Fullwood, Daniel Lee, Folakemi Odedina. A descriptive study of substance use and cardiovascular issues among Nigerian men with prostate cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B123.

Determinants and Prevalence of Drug Abuse by Gender in the Selected Competitive Sports at the Universities in Kenya

Purpose: The main objective of this study was to identify the determinants and prevalence of drug abuse by gender in selected competitive sports at the universities in Kenya.
 Methodology: The study used a mixed methods research design with an intention to capture and utilise both qualitative andquantitative data. The study sample comprised 300 respondents. Out of the 300 students, 173(57.7%) were male and 127 (42.3%) were female players derived from six selected competitive sports at the universities in Kenya.The selected sports were badminton, tennis, basketball, volleyball, soccer and rugby. Stratified sampling followed by simple random sampling was used to select 10 universities proportionately (4 private and 6 public), the method was the most appropriate to capture universities with women rugby in addition to the five other selected sports. The study sought to investigate the prevalence of drug abuse due to factors such as psychosocial, medicinal and competition. SPSS computer version 20 was used to process data. The data was presented inform of Tables.
 Findings: The study found that more male players than females abused drugs, with majority being rugby players. Findings indicated that there were more males than females abusing drugs at approximately 89% and 11% respectively. It was concluded that more male than female athletes engaging in sports in universities in Kenya, abuse drugs. This could be attributed to the assumption that males tend to experiment more on most things than do their female counterparts.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Social Learning Theory, Self Determination Theory and Harm Reduction Theory may be used to anchor future studies. It was recommended that various stakeholders that include the university management, NACADA and the security apparatus work together with an aim to sensitize and curb drug abuse menace among university athletes, general students’ community and the entire community bordering the universities.

Pengembangan Kapasitas Residen dengan Metode Therapeutic Community di Panti Rehabilitasi Narkoba Ar-Rahman Palembang


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Drug abuse, psychotropics, and other addictive substances have increased in Indonesia. Drug abuse can pose a serious threat to social life and health in society. The National Narcotics Agency of South Sumatra Province recorded that the prevalence of drug abuse throughout 2021 reached 5.5 percent or as many as 359,363 people from the total population of South Sumatra Province. This figure is the second highest in Indonesia. There is a need for a social movement from the government or society to overcome the problem of drug abuse. An independent society is a society that has good capacity. Capacity building to develop the quality of personal characteristics to be more effective and efficient both in the entity and global scope. The research aims to determine the process of capacity building of residents with the Therapeutic Community method at the Ar-Rahman Palembang Drug Rehabilitation Center. Qualitative research method with descriptive qualitative type through phenomenological research strategy. Research informants consist of key informants, key informants and supporting informants. The residents become the unit of data analysis. Data collection techniques through observation, documentation, and interviews. Technical data analysis through the process of data collection, data coding, data presentation and conclusions. The process of the Therapeutic Community Method focuses on coaching which includes 4 main things, namely: (1) changing behavior, (2) controlling emotions and thoughts, (3) growing spiritually and intellectually, and (4) being able to survive and be independent
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Determinants and Prevalence of Drug Abuse by Gender in the Selected Competitive Sports at the Universities in Kenya

Purpose: The main objective of this study was to identify the determinants and prevalence of drug abuse by gender in selected competitive sports at the universities in Kenya.
 Methodology: The study used a mixed methods research design with an intention to capture and utilise both qualitative and quantitative data. The study sample comprised 300 respondents. Out of the 300 students, 173 (57.7%) were male and 127 (42.3%) were female players derived from six selected competitive sports at the universities in Kenya. The selected sports were badminton, tennis, basketball, volleyball, soccer and rugby. Stratified sampling followed by simple random sampling was used to select 10 universities proportionately (4 private and 6 public), the method was the most appropriate to capture universities with women rugby in addition to the five other selected sports. The study sought to investigate the prevalence of drug abuse due to factors such as psychosocial, medicinal and competition. SPSS computer version 20 was used to process data. The data was presented in form of Tables.
 Findings: The study found that more male players than females abused drugs, with majority being rugby players. Findings indicated that there were more males than females abusing drugs at approximately 89% and 11% respectively. It was concluded that more male than female athletes engaging in sports in universities in Kenya, abuse drugs. This could be attributed to the assumption that males tend to experiment more on most things than do their female counterparts.
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Social Learning Theory, SelfDetermination Theory and Harm Reduction Theory may be used to anchor future studies. It was recommended that various stakeholders that include the university management, NACADA and the security apparatus work together with an aim to sensitize and curb drug abuse menace among university athletes, general students’ community and the entire community bordering the universities

Prevalance Of Substance Abuse Among Street Children In West Bengal, India

The term substance abuse implies on the use of tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, glue, opioids, gasoline and legal or illegal substances excessively or in a wrong way. The most commonly used substances are inhalants while they are volatile in nature i.e. volatile substances (VS). The most vulnerable groups are the street children aged between 5-15yrs. in India. Children from broken family, without caregiver, of extreme poverty, food insecurity, often ended up on street life and indulged into these types of addiction. Initially the main cause has always been the appetite. Some studies have identified the substance abuse as remedy for hunger pain. Substance abuse is one of the main reasons to claim lives on the streets of India. Recent studies have shown that out of all inhalants are mostly in trend as those are inexpensive and easy to obtain and legally available in any market. These types of substance abuse are widely spread all over the India, especially in West Bengal. The study aims at prevalence of substance abuse among the street children of West Bengal, India. The literature review is based on about 24 journal articles and some other organizational articles etc. After proper screening of the sources, analysis has done and reviewed to draw findings and discussion for the study. Extensive work and vigorous studies are required to get a clear picture about the prevalence of substance abuse in street children in West Bengal, India as the studies are limited in this area of research.

Prevalence of Substance Abuse among Teenagers in Damietta Governorate

Prevalence of Substance Abuse among Teenagers in Damietta Governorate

A study to assess the prevalence of substance abuse and its impact among medical students in a medical college

Background: Psychoactive drug is an emerging global problem. This is a disturbing matter, especially in the case of medical students, affecting their health and academic performance, which in turn affects the health outcomes of patients. The objectives of our study were to assess the prevalence and impact of substance abuse among medical students. Methods: This was cross-sectional study conducted in tertiary care center. A pretested semi structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Medical students who were available during the study period and who were willing to participate were included in the study. A total of 301 students were interviewed. Data was entered and analysed in SPPSS version 22.0. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used for the statistical analysis. Results: We had a total of 301 responders. Among them, only 70(23.3%) have been a subject to substance abuse. Alcohol was the most abused substance (19.3%). The most common reason for starting these substances was out of curiosity (15.6%). 24.6% of the students have either thought of or tried stopping, however majority of them have not. Out of these students, 10 (3.3%) have experienced withdrawal symptoms. Conclusions: The substance abuse among youngsters in medical colleges is a highly alarming situation. Proper counselling with planned policies should be implemented to root out this evil among the future doctors which will help in providing better health care services to the people.

Substance abuse among mothers in Taiwan: Investigating its prevalence and testing the trauma model

Substance abuse is a serious problem in our society. In particular, household or parental substance abuse could lead to adverse childhood experiences for the affected children. However, little is known about the prevalence of substance abuse among parents, especially in Asian societies. Moreover, although the trauma model of addiction has significant implications for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, most evidence comes from Western samples. To address these knowledge gaps, we examined the prevalence of substance abuse in a sample of mothers in Taiwan and tested the trauma model of substance abuse. A total of 867 Taiwanese mothers completed standardized self-report assessments in 2023. The screening results indicated that the 12-month prevalence of drug abuse and alcohol abuse was 12.3% and 7.3%, respectively; 15.5% had either or both drug and alcohol abuse. Most types of trauma exposure were associated with drug abuse severity, while interpersonal stress and dissociative symptoms were associated with alcohol abuse severity, even after controlling for a variety of demographic and health variables as well as general psychopathology (i.e., depressive symptoms). The relatively high prevalence of substance abuse among Taiwanese mothers in our sample is concerning, particularly when compared to the rates reported in other Asian samples. We also provide preliminary cross-cultural evidence supporting the self-medication theory and the trauma model of substance abuse in the Asian context. We discuss the potential importance of addressing trauma and stress to prevent substance abuse and call for follow-up studies.

Psychedelic Research and Therapeutic Practices: Embracing Communities, Groups, and Traditional Knowledge

ABSTRACTThe global prevalence of substance abuse and mental disorders continues to challenge healthcare systems, with one in eight individuals affected. The therapeutic potential of psychedelics is recognized not only for treating mental disorders but also for enhancing well-being and promoting pro-social behaviors. Conventional biomedical research models fall short in addressing the broader health needs of populations and poorly suited for overcoming barriers to service delivery. This special issue includes six articles that explore alternative approaches to psychedelic research and practice, emphasizing collaboration with diverse actors, including indigenous communities, and incorporating traditional knowledge systems into contemporary psychedelic research. They underscore the need for innovative research methods that engage multidisciplinary approaches while promoting culturally relevant outcome measures. They emphasize the importance of shifting from punitive drug policies to those grounded in public health and human rights, allowing for multi-country studies and the development of evidence-based care models for community mental health. Incorporating traditional knowledge and community-based methodologies into psychedelic science is vital for its evolution beyond biomedical research for widespread dissemination, offering new avenues for improved health outcomes and promotion of human flourishing.

Perspectives on Promotion of Quality of Life for Individuals Recovering from Substance Abuse: Priority for Occupational Therapy Programmes

The prevalence of substance abuse in South Africa is growing fast, impacting negatively on quality of life. Individuals abusing substances present with impaired occupational functioning, which warrants occupational therapy intervention. Meaningful engagement in occupations contribute to well-being and quality of life of an individual. It is important for the occupational therapist to be aware of the enhancers of quality of life for the intervention programme of persons living with substance use issues. The barriers of quality of life need to be addressed in the programme in order to guard against relapse. A holistic approach to the intervention of substance abuse is of paramount importance.

The Determinants and Prevalence of Drug Abuse by Gender in the Selected Competitive Sports at the Universities in Kenya

Purpose: The main objective of this study was to identify the determinants and prevalence of drug abuse by gender in selected competitive sports at the universities in Kenya.
 Methodology: The study used a mixed methods research design with an intention to capture and utilise both qualitative and quantitative data. The study sample comprised 300 respondents. Out of the 300 students, 173 (57.7%) were male and 127 (42.3%) were female players derived from six selected competitive sports at the universities in Kenya. The selected sports were badminton, tennis, basketball, volleyball, soccer and rugby. Stratified sampling followed by simple random sampling was used to select 10 universities proportionately (4 private and 6 public), the method was the most appropriate to capture universities with women rugby in addition to the five other selected sports. The study sought to investigate the prevalence of drug abuse due to factors such as psychosocial, medicinal and competition. SPSS computer version 20 was used to process data. The data was presented in form of Tables.
 Findings: The study found that more male players than females abused drugs, with majority being rugby players. Findings indicated that there were more males than females abusing drugs at approximately 89% and 11% respectively. It was concluded that more male than female athletes engaging in sports in universities in Kenya, abuse drugs. This could be attributed to the assumption that males tend to experiment more on most things than do their female counterparts.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Social Learning Theory, Self-Determination Theory and Harm Reduction Theory may be used to anchor future studies. It was recommended that various stakeholders that include the university management, NACADA and the security apparatus work together with an aim to sensitize and curb drug abuse menace among university athletes, general students’ community and the entire community bordering the universities.

The Prevalence of Drug Abuse as it Relates to Psychosocial Reasons among University Athletes in Selected Competitive Sports in Kenya

The Prevalence of Drug Abuse as it Relates to Psychosocial Reasons among University Athletes in Selected Competitive Sports in Kenya

Assess the Prevalence and Pattern of Substance Abuse and to Evaluate the Effectiveness of an Informational Booklet on Substance Abuse in Terms of Knowledge and Attitude of Higher Secondary School Students

Adolescence are periods of experimentation, exploration, identity formation, risk taking, and assertion for independence in every person's life. Naturally, the incidence of drug abuse in children and adolescents is higher than the general population. [1] A wide variety of substances are produced for medicinal purposes. These include central nervous system (CNS) stimulants (e.g., amphetamines), CNS depressants (e.g., sedatives, tranquilizers), as well as numerous over-the-counter preparations designed to relieve nearly every kind of human ailment, real or imagined.[2]Substance use among adolescents is one such risky behaviour that had emerged as a global concern. [3] In India, consumption of tobacco and alcohol has become common among adolescents, and in the case of tobacco consumption, the age of initiation was observed to be as low as 12 years.[4] The supreme Court (14 December,2022) told the government that 1.58 crore children aged between 10 and 17 years are addicted to substance in the country.[5] Materials and Methods: A quantitative quasi experimental one group pre-test, post-test design was use to evaluate the effectiveness of an informational booklet on substance abuse in terms of knowledge and attitude of higher secondary school students. The study conducted on 200 samples. Data was collected using following tools – 1. Structured Questionnaire on substance abuse 2. Structured Knowledge questionnaire to evaluate the knowledge on prevention of substance abuse 3. Structured attitude scale to assess the attitude regarding prevention of substance abuse. Results: The mean post-test knowledge score 20.97 was higher than the mean pre-test 13.25 with mean difference of 7.72 which was found statistically significant with "t" value t (199) =35.97 at 0.05 level of significance. Majority (86.5%) of higher secondary school students in post-test had positive attitude towards the prevention of substance abuse. The mean post-test attitude score 69.66was higher than the mean pre-test 58.20 with a mean difference of 11.46 which was found statistically significant "t" value t(99)=21.31 at 0.05 level of significance. Above findings reveals that the informational booklet was effective in enhancing both the knowledge and attitude of higher secondary school students. There was a positive correlation (r=0.550) between the post-test knowledge and post-test attitude score on prevention of substance abuse. Conclusion: After the detailed analysis of the study findings showed that pre-test finding showed that, most of the higher secondary school students had average knowledge and neutral attitude regarding substance abuse. but after the administration of information booklet, it enhancing knowledge and positive attitude of the higher secondary school students regarding substance abuse. There was no significant association found between the post-test knowledge score of higher secondary school students with selected variables. There was a significant association between the post attitude score of higher secondary school students with type of family.

Social Demographic Factors Associated with Drug Abuse Among Undergraduates in Ekiti State

This study examined social demographic factors associated with drug abuse among undergraduates in Ekiti State. Specifically, the study examined the level of knowledge on drug abuse expressed by university undergraduate students; level of drug abuse among university undergraduate students; and common drugs known as expressed by university undergraduate students. The research design adopted for this study was a descriptive survey. The population of this study consisted of all the students of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, while the sample was 200 undergraduate students drawn from seven faculties. The respondents were randomly selected from seven faculties. A self-designed constructed questionnaire tagged “Drug Abuse Questionnaire (DAQ)” was used to collect relevant data for the study. The instrument consisted of five sections namely: Sections A, B, C, D, and E. The validity methods used were face and content validity. The items in the Questionnaire were presented to experts in the fields of Tests and Measurement, Social Studies Education and Guidance & Counselling. The reliability of the instrument was estimated through test re-test method. A co-efficient value of 0.88 was obtained which was considered statistically high to make the instrument reliable. The data collected from the questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings of the study revealed that majority of the respondents have a high knowledge of drug abuse while only few engage in drug abuse. In addition, peer influence was related to drug abuse among undergraduates but family structure was not related to drug abuse. It was further revealed that male students have higher prevalence of drug abuse than female students despite having similar knowledge of drug abuse. It was recommended among others that discipline should be put in-place by university management to curb drug abuse among undergraduates.

Prevalence of smoking, alcohol consumption, and drug abuse in Iranian adults: Results of Azar Cohort Study.

Substance abuse has significant health impacts on families and society as a whole. We aimed to provide detailed prevalence estimates of substance abuse among the Azar Cohort Study respondents in Tabriz, Iran. Data on 15006 participants of Azar Cohort Study were analyzed. The variables included tobacco smoking, alcohol use, drug abuse, and socio-demographic characteristics. The prevalence of substance abuse (with a 95% confidence interval) was calculated using the direct standardization method. Overall, 9.3% and 6.2% of the participants were regular and heavy cigarette smokers, respectively. Also, 1.9% and 2.1% of participants reported a history of using illicit drugs and alcohol, respectively. Substance abuse was more prevalent among males than females. Substance abuse varied significantly with age and socioeconomic variables. We identified specific demographic and socioeconomic groups with a higher prevalence of all studied behaviors. Such high-risk groups should be targeted when designing substance abuse prevention programs.

Prevalence, Pattern and Determinants of Substance Abuse Among Adolescents in Bagalkot, Karnataka, India

Background: Adolescence is the age of curiosity, experimentation and new roles. This is the age children start to explore the world and test everything around them. Substance abuse is an alarming problem among adolescents in India. The objective is to assess the prevalence, pattern and determinants of substance abuse among adolescents of Bagalkot. Methods: A cross sectional study with a sample of 384 adolescents, selected by disproportional stratified random sampling. WHO ASSIST was used to assess the prevalence and pattern of substance abuse. The data was entered in MS excel sheet and transferred to SPSS 18 for analysis. Results: the mean age of the sample was 16.4 ± 2.44 years. 71.9% were males and 28% were females. Among 384 adolescents 20.3% used to consume tobacco and 21.4% consumed alcohol, 2.6% consumed cannabis, 15.6% had consumed inhalants. Among Tobacco users 53.85% were 18 to19 years of age. Conclusion: The overall substance abuse among adolescents is about 21%. Age, Gender, and Peer pressure, increase the risk of substance abuse. The substance abuse prohibitor strategies must be strengthened to reduce the prevalence of substance abuse among adolescents.

Health Consequences of Smokeless Tobacco Substance Abuse among High School Adolescents

Background: People currently reside in a smokeless tobacco -oriented society, and the threat of illicit substances is visible in every part of the world, including Pakistan. Moreover, Substance abuse has become a big problem in our society now days, therefore current study conducted on health consequences and prevalence of smokeless tobacco substance abuse among high school adolescents at taluka Qasimabad, Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan.
 Methodology: A cross sectional study conducted through predesigned survey form, in which 308 respondents were selected at random level from the full targeted sample of ninth and tenth grade pupils..
 Results: the researcher revealed 22.9% of smokeless tobacco abuse among high school adolescents, in which male participants showed high prevalence as compare female. Furthermore, Areca nuts (57.1%), Safina sachet smokeless tobacco (19.2%), betel (14.6%), and Tara chewing smokeless tobacco (13.3%) had the highest percentage of smokeless tobacco used. In addition, data showed significant 0.05 association with smokeless tobacco abuse with health-related problem, i.e., throat pain, cough, mouth ulcer and headache, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and sleeping pattern disturb problem.
 Conclusion: It is revealed that High school adolescents abused smokeless tobacco substances and suffered worst health consequences.

IDENTIFIKASI AMFETAMIN PADA URINE SOPIR ANGKOT DI PAJAK HORAS PEMATANGSIANTAR

The prevalence of drug abuse is quite high in Indonesia in the land transportation sector, including public transportation. Amphetamines are among the most widely used drugs in the community which are included in the Psychotropic class II. Amphetamines are also a group of drugs that stimulate the central nervous system, which can affect the brain's cortex to increase mental activity. Amphetamines can trigger the release of several neurotransmitters in the body, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and serQotonin. The increase caused by these neurotransmitters can increase energy stimulation, increase physical endurance, motor activity, and cause a feeling of pleasure. All organs in the body work harder, so users feel more focused, empowered, confident and able to think quickly. The effect of using amphetamine is that it can eliminate fatigue and drowsiness. The aim of the study was to determine whether the content of amphetamine compounds was present in the urine samples of public transportation drivers at the Horas Pematangsiantar Tax. The sampling location was carried out at the Pematangsiantar Horas Tax while the research location was carried out at the Simpang Bah Jambi Health Center. The type of research used is qualitative data research which is described descriptively using a stick test tool with the Immunoassay method which was carried out in May 2023. The examination results of 50 samples were negative. The conclusion based on the results of the examination was that there was no amphetamine content or negative results in the urine of public transportation drivers at the Horas Pematangsiantar Tax.

Dispelling Myths Regarding Cisgender Sexual Minority Women and Breast Cancer

Lesbian and bisexual cisgender women have higher rates of breast cancer and breast cancer mortality than their heterosexual counterparts (Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health Issues and Research Gaps and Opportunities, 2014). There is not much known about why this is the case, although most researchers revert to the common hypotheses that the increased prevalence of obesity, substance abuse, and nulliparity (not having given birth) among lesbian and bisexual women contributes to incidences of breast cancer (Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health Issues and Research Gaps and Opportunities, 2014). These hypotheses place individual responsibility on sexual minority women with breast cancer as opposed to identifying complicated, underlying structural problems. This literature review argues that homophobia and bisexual invisibility, in conjunction with fatphobia and inaccurate research methodology, have prevented clinicians and scientists from thoroughly examining the ways in which increased rates alcohol abuse, the physiological effects of stress due to discrimination, and a lower rate of receiving mammograms caused by perceived negative judgment from healthcare providers contribute to the higher prevalence of breast cancer among lesbian and bisexual women.