Walking Together: A Cross-Cultural Study of the Relationship Between Religiosity and Substance Use Disorder.
Camila Chagas, Leonardo Breno Martins, Tassiane Cristine Santos de Paula and 2 others
PMID 42656043WHAT IT FOUND
Homeless people with substance use disorders in Brazil and Portugal described faith as active during drug use.
Many felt God protected them from overdose or disease. That could comfort them, but it may also make risky use seem safer.
Key findings
01Religiosity was active during drug use for most participants, appearing as support, a marker that use was wrong, or a separate part of life.
02Many Portuguese participants felt protected by God from overdose or disease, even when they engaged in risky behavior.
03Brazilian participants often described people who use drugs negatively and stereotypically, while Portuguese participants criticized treatment models, especially therapeutic communities.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is an exploratory qualitative study, so it does not show whether religiosity causes risk or protection. The sample was only homeless adults receiving treatment for substance use disorders in Brazil and Portugal, so it may not apply to people with stable housing or other health conditions. The two groups came from different settings, a Brazilian therapeutic community and a Portuguese shelter with harm reduction teams, so differences may reflect setting rather than country alone. Interviews took place inside treatment or shelter settings, which may have shaped what participants said. It reports themes from interviews, not measured outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by a grant from the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that religiosity prevents substance use or makes treatment work. This study describes meanings from 40 interviews, not tested outcomes, and some participants said belief in divine protection made risky use feel safer.