Women & Prescription Drug Abuse

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), more than 15 million people abused prescription drugs in 2008. Prescription drug abuse affects both men and women, but there are differences in rates and types of drugs abused.

History

• Gender differences in drug abuse in general have shown that men abuse more drugs than women. In a 2006 report for the "Psychiatric Times," Dr. Sudie E. Back states that men are actually twice as likely as women to be formally diagnosed with a substance abuse or addiction disorder.

Significance

• Rates of prescription drug abuse in women have increased more recently, although they do not match those of men in general. Adolescent women, however, show a higher rate of abuse of most drugs including prescription drugs. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, women aged 12 to 17 are more likely than their male counterparts to abuse prescription drugs, specifically ones used to treat mental illness.

Considerations

• Although men have higher rates of drug abuse in general, the types of prescription drugs that women abuse tend to be much more addictive. For instance, according to NIH, adolescent girls are likely to abuse prescription pain and stimulant medications, drugs that are highly addictive and can become so after just one or two uses.