Substance Use Recovery among Persons with a Migration Background and Ethnic Minorities

This dissertation provides a comprehensive understanding of substance use recovery and recovery capital among the diverse group of persons with a migration background and ethnic minorities (MEM).

The doctoral study offers a nuanced and detailed examination of the lived experiences of MEM with substance use problems from a combined local (Flanders, Belgium) and international perspective. By exploring recovery and recovery capital among MEM in an increasingly participatory manner, the dissertation uncovers which personal, social and community resources may be mobilised to support recovery. It unveils how important barriers to recovery, such as multiple intersecting forms of stigma, may be overcome. Finally, a co-creative case study offers a specific deepening of how the continuum of care for substance use problems may be tailored to persons with an Islamic migration background.

This dissertation aims to inspire researchers, policymakers, and (future) practitioners to look beyond existing reference, policy, and practice frameworks and to open up possibilities for more inclusive recovery-supportive environments.