A Scoping Review of Substance Use Prevalence Rates Amongst Subgroups of People Living with Deafness

Research indicates that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) experience higher rates of substance use than the general population. However, study limitations often prevent reliable differentiation of prevalence rates between congenital and acquired deafness subgroups. This scoping review aimed to synthesize current data on substance use within these minority subgroups, identifying key gaps in existing research. We conducted a content analysis using a scoping review methodology, systematically searching PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, and other registries. From 926 references initially retrieved, 17 studies met the inclusion criteria following a full-text review in Covidence. The findings underscore that DHH individuals face an elevated risk of substance use disorders (SUD) relative to non-DHH individuals. Key conclusions include: (a) DHH populations have a higher risk for SUDs than non-DHH counterparts, (b) there is limited research on substance use prevalence, specifically beyond alcohol and opioids, within DHH populations, (c) substance use motivations differ between DHH and non-DHH groups, and (d) DHH individuals face unique barriers in accessing effective treatment. Further research is critical to support the development of tailored prevention and treatment strategies and underscore the need for subgroup-specific research to clarify prevalence rates and protective or risk factors.