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Gender differences in cocaine use and treatment response
T A Kosten1, F H Gawin, T R Kosten
1Substance Abuse Treatment Unit, Yale University School of Medicine.
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
|January 1, 1993
Summary
This study compared male and female cocaine abusers in a clinical trial. Results show women had more severe drug problems but achieved similar treatment success as men.
Area of Science:
- Addiction research
- Clinical psychology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Limited understanding of gender differences in drug abuse treatment efficacy.
- Most prior research focused on male populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gender disparities in baseline cocaine use severity.
- To compare treatment response between male and female cocaine abusers in an outpatient randomized clinical trial (RCT).
- To assess long-term treatment outcomes at 6-month follow-up.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of male and female participants in an outpatient randomized clinical trial (RCT).
- Evaluation of pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse.
- Assessment of baseline drug use severity and treatment response.
Main Results:
- Females reported more severe drug problems at the study's intake.
- Both genders demonstrated comparable success rates within the randomized clinical trial (RCT).
- Females showed greater success than males at the 6-month follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Gender does not appear to be a barrier to treatment efficacy in cocaine abuse.
- Women may experience sustained benefits from outpatient treatment for cocaine dependence.
- Further research into gender-specific treatment approaches for substance use disorders is warranted.