The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is “#ChoosetoChallenge” – a day to challenge the inequalities for women within the alcohol and other drug (AOD) sector .
The rate of women struggling with substance abuse disorders (SUDs) is reported at about half the rate of men – however, this gap is closing and women face unique challenges in the development of addiction and in seeking treatment.
Women are more likely to develop a AOD issues in response to being with a partner suffering from addiction than men. Women face a much harsher judgement from society when it comes to alcohol and other drug use and are therefore less likely to reach out for help. Women suffering from alcohol or drug dependency face many barriers on the road to addiction recovery many of which men, in the same circumstances, are less likely to experience.
A 2014 report prepared by 360Edge to the Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA) focusing on the development of women’s AOD services and programs found:
- Women access treatment at lower rates than men and are under-represented in the drug and alcohol treatment system.
- A range of issues create specific barriers for women’s access to drug and alcohol services including social stigma, childcare and custody concerns, financial issues and models of care.
- Women have a number of specific risk factors including: higher rates of mental health issues; more severe clinical profile and complex presentations; greater risk taking; pregnancy and childcare issues; and greater social and economic disadvantage.
- Evidence-based interventions for drug and alcohol treatment in general, such as behaviour therapies (e.g. contingency management, community reinforcement approach) cognitive behaviour therapies (e.g. coping skills and relapse prevention), motivational interviewing and 12-step-facilitation (TSF), are suitable for women.
- Access to childcare, prenatal care, women-only programs, psycho-education sessions focused on women-specific topics, mental health and comprehensive services that offer multiple components have been associated with improved outcomes for women.
- Specific groups of women (such as LGBTQI and culturally and linguistically diverse) have specific needs that should be addressed by drug treatment services through individualised assessment and treatment planning.
- Treatment should be based on a holistic approach which acknowledges these gender-specific issues listed above and takes these barriers and challenges into account. These include high rates of: stigma, trauma, abuse, violence, financial hardship and childcare issues 3, 4 , disproportionately to men. Knowing these challenges and barriers is one component of improving outcomes for women recovering from addiction.
- Other components of increasing access and improving outcomes for women sit within increasing education, individualised treatment planning and the need for societal-level challenging of these inequalities.
Women’s AOD treatment should be based on a holistic approach which acknowledges these gender-specific issues listed above and takes these barriers and challenges into account.
Women entering addiction treatment programs have been identified as suffering high rates of: stigma, trauma, abuse, violence, financial hardship and childcare issues, disproportionately to men. Knowing these challenges and barriers is one component of improving outcomes for women recovering from addiction.
The other components of increasing access and improving outcomes for women sit within increasing education, individualised treatment planning and the need for societal-level challenging of these inequalities.
Dr Moira Junge is a Senior Consultant at 360Edge.
Is your service addressing the needs of women? 360Edge can bridge the gender gap in service delivery via our service improvement services.