Increasing access and providing social services to improve drug abuse treatment for women with children

Abstract

The study indicates that services that enhance access to treatment and respond to the range of social service needs of women are important for effective substance abuse treatment for women with children.

What do women want? Women want services tailored to their needs

“…Evaluating the benefits of women-only treatment programs is complicated further when their substance use is embedded in relationships and part of a nexus of trauma history, intimate partner violence and sexual risk behaviors [5][6][7][8]. Women-only programs that incorporate an empowerment perspective aim to increase women's self-efficacy and autonomy in ways that may enable them to alter or move away from dysfunctional relationships [9]-a conflicted process for many women.…”

“…This effect is especially pronounced for women. Overall, this research is part of a growing literature on service integration: evidence that substance abuse treatment is more effective when health, mental health, parenting, vocational, housing and legal issues are addressed along with substance abuse issues [8,9].…”

Different needs: Women's drug use and treatment in the UK

“…Whilst it is acknowledged that there have been a number of changes and improvements by some drug treatment agencies to provide services to women, the overall response has been limited (Osorio et al, 2002). Those who do present for treatment, often find the provision to be inadequate and/or inappropriate (Marsh et al, 2000) as most treatment facilities are designed to accommodate the white, opiate using male under the age of 35 (NTA, 2002). Male-orientated treatment services appear to ignore the influencing factors of women's drug use (Wright, 2002).…”

“…Women drug users often identified recurrent mental health problems such as depression, low self-esteem, self-mutilation, suicide attempts and eating disorders (Fiorentine et al 1997;Marsh et al, 2000;NTA 2002;Becker and Duffy, 2002). Furthermore, females have an increased incidence of co-morbid post-traumatic stress disorder following domestic violence, sexual abuse, emotional abuse as a child, incest, stillbirth or the death of a child Duffy, 2002, Department of Health 2003).…”

Access to Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services in Canada

“…McCormick identified two cultural barriers for the treatment of alcohol and substance use disorder among Indigenous peoples: shame of disclosing substance use disorder, and developing intimacy and trust with strangers. People who are LGBTQ, women, women with children, people in poverty, people who are incarcerated, and members of minority racial or ethnic groups all experience a range of barriers in accessing treatment in accordance with their need [38][39][40][41]. Rural communities have lower availability of substance use disorder services and use these services less frequently, with little known about the accommodation and acceptability of substance use disorder programs compared to their urban counterparts [42].…”