Addiction and Substance Abuse

The number of women using and abusing substances has been gradually increasing since the 1990s, in some cases matching the rates of men (e.g., alcoholism among young adults) or surpassing them (e.g., higher drug use among women). The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) publish studies that evaluate substance abuse across nations; however, few provide a breakdown by gender. Worldwide, men consume and abuse more alcohol than women, but the differences vary within each country. In a WHO alcohol study of 14 subregions, the percentages of female drinkers were above 50 percent in Bulgaria, Poland, and Turkey (52 percent); Brazil and Mexico (53 percent); Canada, United States, and Cuba (58 percent); Bolivia and Peru (60 percent); Australia and Japan (77 percent); and Germany, France, United Kingdom, Russian Federation, and Ukraine (81 percent). Countries with the highest consumption also had the smallest differences between men and women; gender gap of 10 percent or less in Russian Federation, Ukraine, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan.

In another WHO report of developing nations, female consumers of alcohol reported drinking problems highest in India, Nigeria (an average of 8 percent of problems), and Uganda (14 percent). The lowest were in Costa Rica (4 percent), Brazil (3 percent), Sri Lanka (2 percent), and Argentina (1 percent). Most [Page 21]of the drinking problems across countries are more prevalent before age 30.

Once women develop a drug problem, they are at greater risk for adverse effects, such as a faster rate of dependence.

If gender patterns of alcohol use/abuse are applied, then countries with higher substance prevalence rates probably have higher percentages of women abusing these substances. In a UN report covering other substances (opiates, cocaine, cannabis, amphetamines, and ecstasy), North American populations tended to abuse opiates, cannabis, and cocaine (listed in order of lower to higher percentages). African populations abused opiates, cannabis, and amphetamines. Central and South American populations abused cocaine, cannabis, and amphetamine. In the Caribbean, they abused cocaine and cannabis. Asia populations abused amphetamines and European populations abused ecstasy more than other substances.

The increase of women's substance abuse is primarily seen among younger women with the first onset of use occurring due to the desires to fit in with peers, impulse control problems during adolescence, escape from traumatic early life events, or introduction by a romantic/sexual partner who is currently using. Intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships, gender role expectations, physical and mental health status, and their physiology all are important components of women's substance abuse. Women also have more incidents of comorbidity (co-occurring addiction with psychological disorders) as compared with men. These factors continue to be overlooked, minimized, or ignored by society, and in some cases by professional staff.