Women fear getting addiction support in case they lose their children
Drug Reporting Still Alcohol Are Services Number Rising, And Attend Drug Than To Men Ireland Treatment Less Alcohol While Women The In Use And Likely Women Is Of Far
Women are afraid to seek treatment for drug and alcohol addiction in case it leads to them losing their children.
Furthermore, a lack of access to childcare services is being cited as the most significant barrier to women in accessing treatment, new research suggests.
The findings due to be published today by Trinity College Dublin (TCD) highlight the urgent need to expand gender-sensitive approaches to support women’s access to help for addiction.
Women who use drugs report significantly higher levels of stigma than men, according to Dr Jo-Hanna Ivers, assistant professor in addiction at TCD.
While the number of women reporting drug and alcohol use in Ireland is rising, women are still far less likely than men to attend drug and alcohol treatment services.
Only three in 10 people accessing services for substance use here are female.
The Supporting Women To Access Appropriate Treatment (SWAAT) study aims to address a knowledge gap in women’s rationale for not attending treatment.
The study, which focused on areas of Ballyfermot and Tallaght in Dublin found exposure to traumatic life events was associated with progression into problematic patterns of drug use. Women typically described a childhood marked by poverty, bereavement, and family adversity.
The responsibility of childcare most often rested with the mother. Notwithstanding the challenges, women taking part in the study expressed a strong desire to access recovery services.
However, childcare was found to be one of the biggest obstacles to accessing treatment, with the perceived fear of losing their children also a major impediment. Services were also found to be disjointed and did not work together as effectively as they could.
Those who took part in the SWAAT study spoke about several necessary changes to ensure women who use drugs access treatment, according to Dr Ivers.
“For example; an increase in residential treatment centres with onsite childcare facilities; lowering the threshold of domestic violence refuge for women who use drugs and alcohol, and developing gender-specific peer-led support to support recovery pathways.”