Across the USA, opioids use disorder (OUD) has affected many citizens creating national awareness. OUD-related impacts have caused severe risks complications and death, for those struggling with it.
Generally, these dangerous complications affect more women than men despite contributing factors such as age, race, and socio-economic status. Also, reports indicate many women encounter opioid misuse problems than men, including several hindrances to recovery. Some of the common barriers to women with OUD include:
- They are likely to develop opioids use disorder when they are young. This challenge increases difficulties when seeking for affordable treatment.
- Women tend to be caregivers. Most of them may lack affordable child care, especially the time they need treatment.
- OUD can weaken their ability to concentrate on their jobs. Therefore, financial support to maintain treatment is essential to women with OUD.
- Women in relationships with people who also have a substance use disorder-challenges faced include physical or sexual assault.
- Those with mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression- these psychological problems may create treatment barriers and increase motivation to self-medicate instead of seeking medical support.
- They have high chances of experiencing homelessness, trauma, and, eventually, death from severe life issues.
However, when women try to obtain appropriate treatment from rehab centers, providers are less likely to prescribe necessary drugs like methadone. This fact contrast proved research, which indicates the effectiveness of treating OUD with medication-assisted treatment.
Moreover, healthcare providers neglect naloxone prescriptions, which are life-saving medications that can effectively reverse an opioid overdose, to emergency cases in women.
Organizations that Assist Women on OUD
Fortunately, several organizations function to fight OUD, support women and help families of people recovering from it.
These organizations work to improve access to child care among women during treatment, mental health services, and medication-assisted treatment. Their excellent approach ensures all women struggling with OUD can recover fully.
A few list of charitable organizations responsible for their remarkable work through research, counseling, treatment, and recovery to combat OUD include:
The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD)
Moms United to End the War on Drugs
Health Providers should Provide Gender-based Treatment
Since OUD is more likely to affect women severely more than men, treatment should be gender-specific. Rehab centers should also focus on drugs that work better on men with OUD during treatment. These include disulfiram used for cocaine addiction and naltrexone for alcohol use disorder.
Currently, research shows that using buprenorphine, which is a very effective treatment for OUD, works better for women as it does for men.
Historically, many healthcare avoid gender-based treatments, which probably has increased OUD rates among women. Therefore, treatment plans for women should include the following aspects:
- Child care while protecting pregnant women especially for inpatient programs
- Mental health disorders and sicknesses.
- Relationship counseling
A word from the recover
Opioids use disorder is a treatable condition. If you or a loved one is experiencing OUD, ensure to check a list of available drug rehabs near you for consultation and supports regarding your recovery needs.
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