Profile of Women Seeking Treatment for Substance Use Disorder

Background: There is an increasing trend among women using substance. However, very few women seek treatment for substance use disorder in Government de-addiction centre. There is limited literature available regarding the same. Aim:To examine the profile of women seeking treatment for substance use disorder in Government De-addiction Centre, Bengaluru. Methods: The study was retrospective in nature. All the female patients who sought in-patient treatment from centre for addiction medicine, NIMHANS, Bengaluru from Apr 2015- Sept 2016 were included in the study. Method of data collection: Content analysis was used to collect the secondary data from the hospital record. Descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency distribution was used for statistical analysis. Results: Mean age of women who sought treatment for substance use disorder in the centre was 42 ±14 years. The mean age at initiation of alcohol was 27 ±9 years, alcohol dependence was 34 ±10.6 years. Majority (65%) belonged below poverty line. 59% were married and living with their spouse. 55% of them sought treatment either on their own or brought by family members, 38% referred by the psychiatrist. More than one-third (36%) had primary school education. Nearly one-third (27%) of them had repeated admissions more than once. More than one-third of them (34%) were homemakers, nearly one-fourth (24%) of them were lost their previous job, 6% of them students and professionals respectively. Conclusion: The majority (68%) of women had diagnosis of alcohol dependence, nicotine (44%), benzodiazepine (14%), opioid dependence (11%), cannabis dependence (1.6%), less than 1% had other forms behavioural addictions.