Substance Use in Muslim Communities

The relationship between faith and recovery in substance-use treatment programs has been well documented. While there are some programs that have tailored their substance-use treatment procedures to the spiritual and religious needs of the Muslim community, further research and independent evaluation is needed before they can be incorporated into the formal recovery procedures at treatment centers. Successful incorporation would require paying attention to the norms, culture, policies, needs, and values of the Muslim community and the centers at which they seek treatment. Additionally, it would also require an understanding of the sociotechnical environment through which Muslims access and act upon treatment information. As of this writing, we know very little about either of these phenomena. The goal of this research project will be to understand how the American Muslim community is being impacted by substance use and related health issues, how they access information about substance-use and related health disorders, and how interventions can be tailored to incorporate faith, religion, and spirituality in the treatment of Muslims experiencing substance-use and related health disorders.