Il fenomeno delle dipendenze nella donna: aspetti epidemiologici, biologici, socio-ambientali, clinici, comportamentali

Translated title of the contribution: [Machine translation] The phenomenon of addictions in women: epidemiological, biological, socio-environmental, clinical, behavioral aspects

Federica Daniela VIGNA TAGLIANTI, Federica Mathis, Elisabetta Versino, Marina Garneri, Mara Rotelli, Franca Beccaria, Anna Picciolini

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

Abstract

[Machine translation] Substance addictions show significant gender differences, which are united by the same bio-psycho-social genesis and affect all stages of addiction: risk factors, prevalence and characteristics of use, methods of access to treatment, treatments, and outcomes. Risk factors for drug addiction can be biological, genetic, social, environmental, and psychological. The conditions of the environment in which we live are the main determinants of substance use and the development of drug addiction, both in men and women. However, while men have social problems more frequently, women have psychological-psychiatric problems more frequently. The reasons for their use are different in both genders: men use substances to experience strong feelings and socialize, women to react to stressful situations and calm anxiety. The use of heroin, alcohol and marijuana is more frequent in men than in women, and on the contrary, women use sedatives and anxiolytics to a greater extent. Although women start using substances at a slightly older age than men, they become addicted faster and require treatment in a shorter time. Compared to men, women more frequently have children and live with them or are married, separated, divorced or widowed. They have a lower income and are more frequently unemployed than men. Differences in management are also evident with regard to the consequences of drug use: criminal behavior is frequent in men, while women commit fewer crimes but among them the phenomenon of prostitution is widespread. The therapeutic paths are different for men and women; partly because of the subjectivity of the request, partly because of the difference in offer by the services compared to male or female users; this difference favors men, both with regard to the quality and quantity of the treatments offered: a small number of programs are specific to the needs of the female subject, and the particular social and biological needs of women are often ignored. The VeDette study, starting in 1997, has enrolled more than 10,454 heroin addicts treated in 115 SERTs in the Italian territory and has followed them over time. The analyses confirmed the significant gender differences both with regard to general characteristics, such as propensity, adherence and outcome of treatments, and mortality. When taken care of, women are younger, more frequently married, separated or divorced, and widowed than men; and more often they live with their partner or children. They have a higher level of education, but more often they are unemployed or do not have a stable job. A greater proportion of women are HIV positive or have full-blown AIDS, and they exchange syringes and instruments more frequently than men. They use more anxiolytics and sedatives but less alcohol, and more frequently they have had an additional psychiatric diagnosis. More frequently, they report depression, self-injurious behavior, and suicide attempts. Psychotherapy is more prescribed to women, and pharmacological treatments to men. Factors indicative of greater severity of addiction are predictive of treatment abandonment among women, while high doses of methadone and the association of pharmacological treatment with psychotherapy improve retention in treatment in both genders. The therapeutic community is more frequently abandoned by women, especially in the period immediately following entry, and the low level of education and the severity of addiction among women and young age among men are predictors of abandonment. In conclusion, the VeDette cohort conducted in Italy also confirms the significant gender differences in risk factors, clinical and social conditions, treatments and the determinants of treatment abandonment, and confirms the greater severity of heroin addicted women compared to men, and the need for a gender approach in treatment.
Translated title of the contribution[Machine translation] The phenomenon of addictions in women: epidemiological, biological, socio-environmental, clinical, behavioral aspects
Original languageItalian
Pages1-1
Number of pages1
Publication statusPublished - 2017
EventWorkshop dell’Ordine dei Medici Chirurghi e degli Odontoiatri (OMCeO) della Provincia di Torino “Comportamenti da dipendenza con e senza uso di sostanze nel genere femminile” - Torino
Duration: 1 Jan 2017 → …

Conference

ConferenceWorkshop dell’Ordine dei Medici Chirurghi e degli Odontoiatri (OMCeO) della Provincia di Torino “Comportamenti da dipendenza con e senza uso di sostanze nel genere femminile”
CityTorino
Period1/01/17 → …

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