Unique Challenges of Women Abusing Prescription Drugs

Ever since opioids became popular as a drug of abuse in America, women have been at the
receiving end. While the rates of drug overdose incidents more than quadrupled since 1999,
it is also apparent that women have been affected more by the opioid epidemic than men.
Coast to coast, the number of women who have inadvertently used prescription drugs and
have become dependent on them has significantly increased.
A new report by
the Agency for
Healthcare
Research and
Quality (AHRQ)
has revealed that
there is a surge in
the number of
women who have
been admitted to
hospitals for drug-
related incidents,
including heroin
and prescription
painkillers. The
report was
compiled based
on a national database that includes hospital statistics from more than 40 states. Along with
a detailed account of the opioid epidemic, the report also sheds light on the emergency
department (ED) and inpatient stays for both men and women in drug-related incidents.
Some of the highlights of the report are as follows:

Inpatient stays: While more men had inpatient stays than women (145.6 vs. 127.8 per
100,000 population) in 2005, there was a dramatic increase in opioid-related inpatient
stays in case of women between 2005 and 2014. This represented an increase of 75
percent for women and 55 percent for males. It is a matter of concern to note that the
rates of opioid-related inpatient stays for males and females became more or less
similar (225 vs. 224.1 per 100,000 population) by 2014.
ED visits: While males had the higher rates of ED visits than females (99.9 vs. 78.6 per
100,000 population) in 2005, the opioid-related ED visits nearly doubled for both
males and females (males: 103 percent increase; females: 95 percent increase) in a
decade.
Some of the other observations noted were as follows:

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 Opioid-related ED visit rate increased faster than inpatient stay rate: Between 2005
and 2014, the rate of opioid-related ED visits increased faster than the rate of opioid-
related inpatient stays. For men, the numbers were (103 ED visits vs. 55 inpatient
stays) and females (95 ED visits vs. 75 inpatient stays).
Opioid-related hospitalization for women topped in three states: The number of
women hospitalized in Maryland, West Virginia and Massachusetts for opioid-related
issues was above par. While the average rate of hospitalization stood at 225 per
100,000 people for opioid-related incidents, these states had more than 350
hospitalizations per 100,000 people.
While the data is open to further investigation, Anne Elixhauser, co-author of the
study, says, While none of these data are very encouraging, it is critical to have a
better idea of why women are being hospitalized more than men, or why 25- to 44-
year-olds are visiting the emergency department more than other age groups.
Implicit biasness toward womens unique needs in health care domain
As is apparent from several studies, because of a number of biological, psychological and
hormonal factors, women tend to have more chronic pain. During puberty, pregnancy and
menopause three distinct phases of a womens life when she experiences and endures pain
consumption of any addictive drug can prove to be quite dangerous due to the hormonal
and psychological changes witnessed.
Therefore, a woman should consult an expert while taking drugs during such phases.
Unfortunately, instead of facilitating pain management techniques, there is a tendency
among health care professionals to prescribe opioids and painkillers to ensure immediate
results. Moreover, due to the implicit bias in the health care domain, women are likely to be
prescribed opioids of a comparatively higher dosage and for a longer duration than men.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has highlighted how women are
impacted by the use of prescription opioids. Apparently, women are more likely to get
addicted to prescription drugs, especially painkillers, compared to men. They are also likely
to suffer from severer withdrawal pangs than men.
The bias is prevalent in the way naloxone, a potential lifesaver for opioid overdose, is made
available to women. A 2016 study on emergency medical services (EMS) for resuscitation
efforts in case of opioid overdose has made this biasness in emergency treatment public.
There are differences between males and females when it comes to treatment from opioid
overdose.
Despite being aware of their addiction, women are less likely to seek help. Unlike men,
women avoid treatment due to the inherent fear of shirking their domestic responsibilities.
Because women are stereotyped as a nurturer and the flag bearer of moral values, most of
them feel that talking or seeking treatment for their abuse would cause stigma and shame to
their family.

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Road to recovery
Not every woman who falls into the clutches of addiction is a hard-core addict, and not
everyone experiments for the high. Most women have genuine reasons for using prescription
opioids. The only flaw in their story could be that they were not aware or not told when to
stop. Therefore, the need of the hour is to spread awareness among patients before
dispensing prescription drugs.
If you or your loved one is battling opioid abuse, it is time to seek treatment at the
professional treatment centers in the U.S. The Prescription Drug Abuse Helpline can help you
find the best prescription drug rehab near you. Call us at our 24/7 helpline number 866-450-
1557 to know about the best prescription drug abuse treatment centers in the U.S.

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