Culture sensitive aspects in diagnosis and psychotherapy of substance use disorder (prevalence, concepts and evidence)

Substance Use Disorder is very common independent from cultural background thus generating immense medical and economic costs. Research on substance abusive behavior reflects an increasing scientific interest in this topic. Aspects of specific cultural features are still underrepresented though and reliable data of a variety of different nations and ethnicities are scarce. This article discusses topics of prevalence and aetiology including a transcultural perspective and furthermore focuses on various approaches of psychotherapeutic addiction therapy.