A comparison of a specialist women's alcohol and other drug treatment service with two traditional mixed-sex services: client characteristics and treatment outcome

The differences between male and female drug users: community samples of heroin and cocaine users compared

Although gender-related issues are often cited as playing an important part in determining patterns of illicit drug use, little is known about the differences between male and female drug users outside treatment settings. In the present study, 558 heroin and cocaine users recruited from a range of community settings were interviewed by Privileged Access Interviewers. The women were found to be younger than the men. Differences existed in their drug use; women used smaller amounts, for a shorter duration, and were less likely to inject than their male counterparts. No differences existed between treatment contact for the heroin users, but differences were found among the cocaine-using sample, with men being more likely to have contacted a treatment agency. Men were financing themselves through more criminal activities than women. Drug-using sexual partners were found to be an important influence over women's drug use, with most female injectors having been given their first injection by a male sexual partner. Structural differences in patterns of drug use found among female drug users and the influence of male sexual partners are likely to play an important role in determining appropriate treatment options for women drug users.

Treatment needs and experiences of Australian women with alcohol and other drug problems

Two hundred and sixty-seven women were interviewed as part of a national survey examining the treatment needs and experiences of Australian women who had received assistance for their alcohol and other drug problems. The majority of women had previously received assistance for their substance use, and of these most had left alcohol and other drug treatment programs before completion. While the women cited a number of ways in which they were helped by such services, several areas were identified by the women as important and amenable to improvement. Among the service issues raised were access, models of service delivery, service structure and staffing, physical environment, physical and psychological safety and the handling of issues such as health status and sexual assault.

Access to substance abuse treatment for homeless women of reproductive age

Homeless women in the United States comprise a subpopulation at high risk for substance abuse, with rates of substance use disorder ranging from 16% to 67%. Despite the need for treatment that such high rates imply, relatively few substance-abusing homeless women avail themselves of formal treatment. The fact that they tend not to utilize formal treatment services is especially problematic among homeless women of reproductive age, who are not only themselves at risk of health-related problems but who place their fetuses and children in danger of multiple negative consequences. The imbalance between treatment need and treatment access suggests that homeless, substance-abusing women are facing severe barriers to care. Although identifying barriers to their treatment access is crucial if this imbalance is to be remedied, very little empirical research has been done in this area. This article presents an overview of current knowledge about barriers to substance abuse treatment for women generally and for homeless women specifically, and proposes a comprehensive empirical strategy for redressing the lack of information on homeless women's access to substance abuse treatment.

Alcohol and polysubstance abuse among women

A review of the literature in this relatively new field highlights the legitimacy of gender-specific research on substance abuse in women. Consistent findings compared to men include a higher physical vulnerability to alcohol, a higher risk of assortative mating, the reported association of traumatic events with the onset of substance abuse, a higher psychiatric comorbidity and a shorter interval between first problem and first treatment episode. Intravenous drug use remains the major source of growth of HIV infection among women. Family assessment and treatment as well as the involvement of female role models are critical to the recovery process. Gender-specific services may be recruiting women who might not otherwise have sought treatment for their substance abuse. Further investigation is required in order to distinguish the relative significance of the genetic versus environmental vulnerability of women, the impact of rapidly changing social mores on the onset, pattern and course of substance abuse, possible gender-specific alcohol typologies, the validity of the recall of traumatic events as well as the program variables required in reaching out and engaging women on the path to recovery.