There are several important factors that may impact group differences in associations of childhood trauma and SUDs. In the USA, the most common SUDs, AUD, CUD, and tobacco use disorders (TUD), vary in prevalence by race/ethnicity and by gender (Grant et al. 2015; Chou et al. 2016; Hasin et al. 2016), as do cultural norms and acceptability of substance use and problems (Caetano & Clark, 1999; Sartor et al. 2013; Zapolski et al. 2014). Rates of exposure to interpersonal violent trauma also differ across race/ethnicity and gender (Roberts et al. 2011; Breiding et al. 2014; Sumner et al. 2015). Further, SUDs are often comorbid, both with each other and with other psychopathology (Kessler, 2012). For example, individuals who meet criteria for CUD also have higher odds of meeting criteria for AUD or TUD [Odds Ratios (ORs) 7.8, and 6.6 respectively (Hasin et al. 2016)], and are more likely to experience other mental health problems, especially mood disorders (Grant et al. 2015). Given this high degree of comorbidity, it is important to consider the associations of childhood traumas with a given SUD, and potential racial/ethnic and gender differences, in the context of other commonly co-occurring substance use and psychiatric disorders.
