Substance Use and Women's Health

Scientific findings show that substance abuse in women yields a higher risk of a variety of health problems than substance abuse in men. Research suggests that women experience addiction telescoping when they abuse alcohol, tobacco, specific stimulants, and possibly opioids. Medical side effects als...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of addictive diseases 2010-04, Vol.29 (2), p.139-163
Main Authors: Kay, Abigail, Taylor, Trusandra E., Barthwell, Andrea G., Wichelecki, Jana, Leopold, Vera
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alcohol abuse
Alcohol Drinking - adverse effects
Alcohol Drinking - psychology
Alcoholism
breast cancer
cancer
cardiovascular disease
cocaine
diabetes
Drug use
Educational Status
Employment
Female
Gender differences
Health problems
Humans
Male
minority substance abuse
Narcotics
Opioids
osteoporosis
Poverty
Risk Factors
Risk-Taking
Sex Factors
Side effects
Smoking - adverse effects
stimulants
stroke
Substance abuse
Substance-Related Disorders - diagnosis
Substance-Related Disorders - psychology
Tobacco Use Disorder - diagnosis
Tobacco Use Disorder - psychology
Women
women's alcohol abuse
women's drug abuse
Women's Health
women's substance abuse
Womens health
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Summary:Scientific findings show that substance abuse in women yields a higher risk of a variety of health problems than substance abuse in men. Research suggests that women experience addiction telescoping when they abuse alcohol, tobacco, specific stimulants, and possibly opioids. Medical side effects also develop more rapidly in women than men when they abuse many substances. Cancer and cardiac complications, specifically, pose a significant threat for women who abuse almost all types of substances. However, the physical consequences are not the only ones women suffer when they engage in substance abuse. Research on substance abuse in women ties opioids to mood and anxiety disorders, heroin to neurological deficiencies, cocaine to immune system suppression, and alcohol to intimate partner abuse. Additionally, female substance abusers, on average, have a lower level of education and lower rates of employment. In light of these gender-specific concerns, physicians should give particular consideration to detecting substance abuse in women.
ISSN:1055-0887
1545-0848
DOI:10.1080/10550881003684640