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Background and Objectives: This review aimed to inform the current state of alcohol research on the joint effects of genes and the environment conducted in U.S. racial/ethnic minority populations, focusing on African Americans, Latinos/Hispanics, Asians, and American Indians.Methods: A key-word and author-based search was conducted and supplemented with direct contact to researchers in this area to ensure a comprehensive inclusion of published, peer-reviewed studies. These studies were considered in terms of the racial/ethnic population groups, phenotypes, genetic variants, and environmental influences covered. Research findings from alcohol epidemiologic studies were highlighted to introduce some potential environmental variables for future studies of gene and environment (G-E) relationships.Results: Twenty-six (N = 26) studies were reviewed. They predominantly involved African American and Asian samples and had a very limited focus on Latinos/Hispanics and American Indians. There was a wide range of alcohol-related phenotypes examined, and studies almost exclusively used a candidate gene approach. Environmental influences focused on the most proximate social network relationships with family and peers. There was far less examination of community- and societal-level environmental influences on drinking. Epidemiologic studies informing the selection of potential environmental factors at these higher order levels suggest inclusion of indicators of drinking norms, alcohol availability, socioeconomic disadvantage, and unfair treatment.Conclusions: The review of current literature identified a critical gap in the study of environments: There is the need to study exposures at community and societal levels.Scientific Significance: These initial studies provide an important foundation for evolving the dialogue and generating other investigations of G-E relationships in diverse racial/ethnic groups. (Am J Addict 2017;26:446-460). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: This special issue brings together papers focusing on a wide range of topics relevant to the research and understanding of the role of race/ethnicity and genetic variation for the susceptibility of developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD).Methods: The key findings from the issue's 10 articles are reviewed and organized here around three topics: I: addictive behaviors and potential environmental influences; II: a focus on four racial/ethnic groups; and III: special methodologies.Results: Several potential next steps in improving effective research strategies are highlighted: (1) implementing best practices for outreach and community engagement may reduce reluctance to participate; (2) recruiting adequately sized and racially/ethnically diverse samples will require new collaborations with investigators who successfully work in diverse communities; (3) identifying and assessing environmental influences that are both unique to, and common among, racial/ethnic groups may inform preventions for AUD; (4) use of standardized measures will facilitate the generation of larger samples and meta-analysis of research findings; and (5) use of better analytic approaches and experimental methods will improve replication in gene finding research and help advance new areas of research.Conclusions: Genetic research of AUD in diverse racial/ethnic populations is advancing. The articles in this issue examined the general theme of including diverse population groups in genetic studies and offered potential strategies for addressing some common problems.Scientific Significance: Greater inclusion of diverse racial/ethnic populations in this research is important to ensure that the benefits of new knowledge and technology are equally shared. (Am J Addict 2017;26:532-537). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Racial/ethnic groups comprise more than 20% of the U.S. population, but many experience disproportionately high risk for alcohol misuse, often resulting in higher rates of alcohol-associated consequences. Completion of mapping the human genome has launched rapidly evolving research methods aimed at improved understanding of genetic contribution to disease. Despite decades of research on the influence of genetic and environmental risks on alcohol use disorders and outcomes, few studies have included racial/ethnic subpopulations in sufficient numbers to allow for proper statistical analysis.Methods: The papers in this special issue help to elucidate current knowledge on the etiology of genetic and environmental contributors and potential moderators of alcohol use and associated problems among racial/ethnic populations. The lack of racial/ethnic diversity across many genetic studies contributes to challenges in interpretation of findings and eventually applications to precision medicine.Results: Proposed approaches to overcome disparities in racial/ethnic participant recruitment in genetic studies include methods to address population stratification in allele frequency, improve transparency in subjects' consenting to participate, and engaging interdisciplinary research teams and community involvement to improve recruitment of racial/ethnic minorities.Discussion and Conclusions: The reviews presented underscore various gaps in our knowledge of the genetic influences on alcohol use disorders due to the failure to include racially and ethnically diverse populations in genetic and epigenetic study samples. New directions are suggested to overcome the resulting research challenges and ultimately to inform future personalized intervention approaches for racial/ethnic populations.Scientific Significance: Inclusion of heterogeneous populations in genomic research will provide a better comprehension of possible unique genetic factors in the broader general population that may be missed due to exclusion of unique and common variants that may be present in racial/ethnic populations. (Am J Addict 2017;26:526-531). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Pharmacogenetic studies of alcohol use disorder (AUD) have suggested that the efficacy of treatments for AUD is, in part, influenced by the genetic background of an individual. Since the frequency of alleles associated with pharmacotherapy for AUD varies by ancestral background, the effectiveness of medications used to treat AUD may vary among different populations. The purpose of this review is to summarize the existing pharmacogenetic studies of treatments for AUD in individuals of European, East Asian, African, and American Indian/Alaska Native ancestry.Methods: Electronic databases were searched for pharmacogenetic studies of AUD treatment that included individuals of diverse ancestral backgrounds.Results: Pharmacogenetic studies of AUD reviewed here have primarily investigated genetic variation thought to play a role in the response to naltrexone, ondansetron, and topiramate. There is support that the A118G polymorphism should be further investigated in individuals of East Asian ancestry.Discussion and Conclusions: Given the lack of pharmacogenetic research on response to AUD medication in ethnic minority populations and the mixed results, there is a critical need for future studies among individuals of different ancestries. More efforts should be devoted to standardizing procedures such that results can be more readily integrated into a body of literature that can directly inform clinical practice.Scientific Significance: This review highlights the importance for future research to aim for inclusiveness in pharmacogenetic studies of AUD and increase diversity of clinical trials in order to provide the best treatment outcomes for individuals across different racial and ethnic groups. (Am J Addict 2017;26:516-525). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: We conducted a review of the prevalence and co-occurrence of 12 types of addictions in US ethnic/racial groups and discuss the implications of the results for genetic research on addictions.Methods: We utilized MEDLINE and PsycINFO databases to review the literature on alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, illicit drugs, gambling, eating/food, internet, sex, love, exercise, work, and shopping. We present results for each addiction based on total US prevalence, prevalence within ethnic groups, and co-occurrence of addictions among ethnic groups when available.Results: This review indicates very little research has examined the interrelationships of addictive behaviors among US ethnic groups. The studies that exist have focused nearly exclusively on comorbidity of substances and gambling behaviors. Overall findings suggest differences among US ethnic groups in prevalence of addictions and in prevalence of addiction among those who use substances or engage in gambling. Almost no ethnic group comparisons of other addictive behaviors including eating/food, internet, love, sex, exercise, work, and shopping were identified in the literature.Conclusions: Despite large-scale research efforts to examine alcohol and substance use disorders in the United States, few studies have been published that examine these addictive behaviors among ethnic groups, and even fewer examine co-occurrence and comorbidity with other addictions.Scientific Significance: Even with the limited studies, these findings have implications for genetic research on addictive behaviors. We include a discussion of these implications, including issues of population stratification, disaggregation, admixture, and the interplay between genetic and environmental factors in understanding the etiology and treatment of addictions. (Am J Addict 2017;26:424-436). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: There is a paucity of genetics research examining alcohol use among Latinos. The purpose of this study is to examine Latino perceptions of participation in alcohol studies that collect biological samples, an important precursor to increasing their participation in genetics research.Methods: A synthesis of the literature addressing participation of racial/ethnic minorities in alcohol genetics research was undertaken. We developed a framework of themes related to barriers and facilitators for participation, which we then used to analyze two focus groups held with 18 Latino participants.Results: From the literature review, we identified nine themes related to facilitators of and barriers to participation. They are, on continua: curiosity to disinterest; trust to mistrust; understanding to confusion; safety to danger; inclusion to exclusion; sense of connection to disconnection; hope to despair; ease to hassle; and benefit to cost. Another theme emerged from the focus groups: previous experience to no previous experience with health research.Conclusions: Applying the themes from the literature review to Latino perspectives on providing biological samples for alcohol research helps expand their definition and applicability. Consideration of these themes when designing recruitment/retention materials and strategies may encourage Latino participation in alcohol genetics research.Scientific Significance: An understanding of these themes and their significance for Latinos is offered in the form of "guiding questions" for researchers to consider as we strive for more inclusive research. Focus group participants were Mexican American; future research should further explore perspectives of this heterogeneous demographic group by studying other Latino subgroups. (Am J Addict 2017;26:477-485). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Drug use disorders (DUD) have strong associations with numerous social problems. However, little is known concerning differences between individuals who experience DUD onset, persistence or remission. While the literature is fairly clear on who is most likely to experience DUD onset and persistence, many correlates of DUD remission, including personal social networks, lack the empirical foundation to utilize them in evidence-based intervention or prevention efforts. While small, community samples suggest DUD remission is associated with growth in personal social networks, this conclusion is in need of larger population studies to justify. Methods This study used Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to examine whether DUD status is a correlate of personal social networks. Results Multivariate models showed DUD onset and DUD persistence were related to smaller personal social networks. However, individuals who experience DUD remission showed personal social networks similar to persons who never experienced a DUD. Discussion and Conclusions As one of the first empirical studies of personal social networks among individuals with different stages of DUD using nationally representative data, these findings suggest that by decreasing drug use, personal social networks may be increased, which is a strong trait associated with the social influence necessary with maintaining DUD recovery. (Am J Addict 2015;24:427 -434) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of The American Journal on Addictions is an extension of a workshop held at the Research Society on Alcoholism (2015) highlighting several important issues related to studies of the genetic bases of alcohol use disorder among racially/ethnically diverse populations. While not exhaustive in their coverage, the papers in this special issue focus on three important topics: (1) the importance of considering the social and environmental context in genetic analyses; (2) social and cultural considerations for engaging diverse communities in genetic research; and (3) methodologies related to phenotype development for use with racially/ethnically diverse populations. A brief overview of each paper included in these three sections is presented. The issue concludes with additional considerations for genetic research with racially/ethnically diverse population groups along with a commentary. (Am J Addict 2017;26:422-423). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including the representation of racially and ethnically diverse populations in genetic studies of alcohol use disorder, prevalence of addictive behaviors and role of environmental factors in association with genetic factors and race/ethnicity, and genetic research with racially/ethnically diverse population groups.