Date of Award
2016
Publication Type
Master Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminology
Keywords
Dependence, Drug Use, Social Capital, Social Networks
Supervisor
Nakhaie, Reza
Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey collected between 2008 and 2012, this study explores the relationships between individual-level social capital and illicit drug use and dependence. The results showed that when controlling for relevant socio-demographic and socioeconomic factors, the influences of network size and marital status on prevalence of illicit drug use were significant and varied by type of drug, while social support showed a consistent protective effect. When measuring drug dependence, all three dimensions of social capital measured in this study showed protective effects. These findings lend support to the notion that drug use outcomes cannot be fully understood without appreciating the social contexts in which individuals use and become dependent on drugs. As such, this study suggests that effective policy interventions aimed at mitigating adverse consequences of drug use must address social and economic inequalities that impede the development of social capital at the individual level1.
Recommended Citation
Treffers, Stefan Rein, "The Role of Social Capital in Drug Use and Dependence in Four Canadian Provinces" (2016). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 5770.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/5770