Background: This systematic review/meta-analysis aimed to synthesize empirical evidence from randomized controlled trials on the efficacy of culturally adapted interventions (CAIs) for substance use and related consequences for adults of color.
Methods: Six electronic databases were searched to identify eligible studies. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risks of bias. We used robust variance estimation in meta-regression to synthesize effect size estimates and conduct moderator analyses.
Results: Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The overall effect size was 0.23 (95 % Confidence Interval [CI] = 0.12, 0.35). The subgroup effect sizes for comparing CAIs with inactive controls and with active controls were 0.31 (CI = 0.14, 0.48) and 0.14 (CI=-0.02, 0.29), respectively. The effect sizes for alcohol use, illicit drug use, unspecified substance use outcomes, and substance use related consequences were 0.25 (CI = 0.08, 0.43), 0.35 (CI =-0.30, 1.00), 0.22 (CI=-0.17, 0.62), and 0.02 (CI=-0.11, 0.16), respectively. Moderator analysis showed that CAIs' effects might not vary significantly by treatment model, dose, country, follow-up assessment timing, participant age, or gender/sex.
Conclusions: Research on substance use interventions that are culturally adapted for people of color is growing, and more high-quality studies are needed to draw definitive conclusions about CAIs' treatment effects. Our study found CAIs to be a promising approach for reducing substance use and related consequences. We call for more efficacy/effectiveness and implementation research to further advance the development and testing of evidence-based CAIs that meet the unique needs and sociocultural preferences of diverse populations.
Keywords: Alcohol use; Culturally adapted interventions; Drug use; Meta-analysis; Racial/ethnic minorities; Substance use related consequences; Systematic review.
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