Substance Use and Women's Health

ABSTRACT

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.

KEYWORDS:

• Alcohol abuse
• breast cancer
• cancer
• cardiovascular disease
• cocaine
• diabetes
• minority substance abuse
• opioids
• osteoporosis
• stimulants
• stroke
• women's alcohol abuse
• women's drug abuse
• women's health
• women's substance abuse

This manuscript received administrative and logistical support from Human Resources Development Institute, Inc. (HRDI). The authors thank Ryan Williams for his assistance in the preparation of the paper and Joe Macare for his editorial input.