Table 4.
Summary of factors associated with substance use among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
| Factors |
n studies reporting as risk factor |
n studies reporting as protective factor |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qual | Quant | Qual | Quant | |
| Individual-level factors | ||||
| Psychological distress | 8 | 8 | – | – |
| Incomplete > complete education | 2 | 10 | – | – |
| Concurrent substance use | 3 | 8 | – | – |
| Unemployed > employed | 3 | 7 | – | – |
| Males > females | – | 9 | – | – |
| Younger > older | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Poor health > prioritize health | 1 | 4 | 1 | – |
| Boredom > engaged | 4 | 1 | – | – |
| Personal ownership (self-esteem, resilience) | – | – | 3 | – |
| Legal problems | – | 3 | – | – |
| Low income > high income | 1 | 2 | – | – |
| Enjoy substances | 2 | 1 | – | – |
| Knowledge of substance health effects | – | – | 2 | – |
| Desire to portray image of being cool | 2 | – | – | – |
| Pregnancy | 1 | – | 1 | 1 |
| Engaged in sport, recreational activities | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| Having own money | 1 | – | – | – |
| Negative stressors | 1 | – | – | – |
| Children’s age | 1 | – | – | – |
| n children | – | 1 | – | – |
| English as second language | – | 1 | – | – |
| Home owner | – | – | – | 1 |
| Relationship-level factors | ||||
| Peer substance use, pressure (including living with users) | 10 | 6 | – | – |
| Supportive peers | – | – | 8 | 2 |
| Inter-personal violence | – | 3 | – | – |
| n living in home | 2 | – | – | 1 |
| Negative stressors | 1 | 1 | – | – |
| Peer financial strain | – | 1 | – | – |
| Married | – | – | – | 1 |
| Peer death | – | – | – | 1 |
| Social engagement | – | – | – | 1 |
| Community-level factors | ||||
| Substance availability | 5 | 2 | – | – |
| Urban > remote | 1 | 2 | – | 3 |
| Urban > capital city | – | 4 | – | 2 |
| Marginalisation for substance use | 2 | – | – | – |
| Remote > capital city | – | 2 | – | 1 |
| Workplace promotes substance use | 2 | – | – | – |
| Access to substance use services | – | – | 1 | – |
| Social opportunities in community | 1 | – | – | – |
| Recreational opportunities in community | 1 | – | – | – |
| Culturally distinct-level factors | ||||
| Normalisation of tobacco use | 8 | – | – | – |
| Cultural obligation to share tobacco | 3 | |||
| Cultural engagement | – | 2 | 2 | – |
| Conflict from living between two cultures | 1 | – | – | – |
| Societal-level factors | ||||
| Removed from family as child | – | 2 | – | – |
| Intergenerational trauma | 3 | – | – | – |
| Policy | 1 | – | 2 | – |
| Racism | 1 | – | – | – |
| Westernised health promotion | 1 | – | – | – |