Women and addiction (alcohol and opiates): comparative analysis of psychosocial aspects

Nowadays women constitute one third of all addicts. In the last decade, there has been a remarkable growth in scientific interest in biochemical and psychosocial aspects of women's addiction. Many researches point out the specific character of women's addiction.

The aim of the study was to assess and compare psychosocial aspects, including the sociodemographic characteristics as well as the specific aspects of functioning of family and interpersonal relationships of the subjects addicted to opiates and alcohol.

There were two substance addict groups (32 and 30 subjects addicted to drugs and alcohol, respectively) and the control group, consisting of 30 subjects (no substance addiction). A socio-demographic data questionnaire and semi-structured Addiction Severity Index (ASI) interview were used.

The results of the research indicated that there were statistically significant differences between the compared groups in respect to the age of the subjects, family history of addiction disorders, education, parenthood, employment work status, and marital status. The subjects addicted to opiates differed significantly in respect to manifestation of aggressive, delinquent behaviour, infectious diseases, presence of addicts-partnerships, but there were no significant differences in relation to physical abuse, sexual abuse and self-assessment of depression.

The results of this research suggest that subjects addicted to opiates differed largely from the subjects addicted to alcohol in terms of the age of the subjects, education level, family relationships, partnerships and social relationships, which all have to be taken into consideration when designing a therapy protocol and planning activities for prevention.