Personal and social difficulties faced by women and men entering alcoholism treatment

Personal interviews were conducted with 67 Anglo women and 54 Anglo men who were currently in treatment at alcoholism treatment facilities. Women experienced more personal and social difficulties in entering treatment. Women had less favorable attitudes toward seeking general health care and perceived greater social costs to be associated with having entered alcoholism treatment. Almost half of the women but less than 20% of the men experienced one or more costs because of entering treatment, such as problems with family, money or friends. Women encountered opposition to treatment from family and friends significantly more often than men, for whom such opposition was rare.