Substance abuse is a far-reaching problem that affects millions of people around the world. This is a particularly problematic issue for members of an oppressed class, in this case homeless women, as examined by the authors (Wenzel et al, 2009) in the article. Nearly 50% of homeless women reported drug use, and 32% of them reported binge drinking in Los Angeles, compared to 16% and 17% for drug use and drinking excessive drinking among women in low-income homes (p. 16). When examining the nature of substance abuse among homeless women, the authors (2009) approach the issue using the ecological perspective. This method allows them to examine drug addicts in their social context. They specifically target homeless women's social networks, defined in the article as natural groups within which members can influence the behavior of others through social comparison, social sanctions and rewards, and the exchange of information (p. 17 ). The authors cite the important connection between social networks and substance abuse and provide an example in which association with employed workers appears to be a protective factor against drug use among African Americans in Baltimore (p. 17). This concept can work both ways, however, as a negative association – such as an abusive sexual partner – can be a risk factor, encouraging further drug and alcohol use (p. 17). It is with this context-based ecological approach that the authors conduct their study. The program consisted of 445 randomly selected homeless women (p. 17). Women were considered eligible if they were at least 18 years old, had had sexual intercourse with a male partner within the past six months, spoke and understood English, and had no significant cognitive impairment (p. 17). The women... in the center of the card... came from the women and not from the alter egos themselves. This could be a problem because responses could be skewed to the interviewee's expectations (p. 22). Even with the study's limitations, it highlights an important need to not only focus on the individual when addressing substance abuse, but to take a more holistic approach and address many different factors. The environment around the individual plays an important role in deciding whether he, or in this case she, will abuse substances. While the study focuses specifically on the effects of a woman's social network, it highlights the importance of positive ancillary support such as stable housing and increased employment opportunities (p. 21). These supportive factors increase the likelihood of creating stronger, more positive, and healthier relationships, thus reducing the likelihood of substance abuse.