Women with Substance Abuse Problems Exposed to Men’s Violence - A Public Mental Health Challenge

Christina Scheffel Birath

doi:10.4172/2155-6105.1000149

Abstract

Objective: To explore self-rated physical and psychological health in two groups of women with substance misuse problems, subjected to male violence. Methods: An examination of the health situation for women with substance dependence being exposed to male violence during life. The study took place in a Swedish context exploring data from 35 women with housing (WwH) and 44 homeless women (HW), regarding posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, psychological and physical problems. Mann-Whitney U-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used to calculate differences between groups and correlations. Results: The proportion of women being exposed to male violence during life for the studied group was 91% (72 of 79 women; WwH 29; HW 43). It was found that the WwH had physical health problems but compared to the HW, significantly less frequent. Regarding psychological health problems, both groups were suffering from self-reported problems, most notably in variables measuring stress susceptibility and embitterment, where both WwH and HW had scores markedly above norm mean scores. The HW had overall a poorer mental health profile as compared to the WwH. The WwH still maintained a foundation in the society compared to the HW regarding housing (100/0%), and custody over their children (91/0%). Conclusion: The study indicated that women with substance dependence and those who are victims of male violence have major problems with both their psychological and physical health. Particularly vulnerable are the HW. Past experiences of violence that have not been processed can further aggravate the women’s health. Thus, we suggest initiating the process of asking women if they have experienced violence in order to then be able to provide appropriate treatment interventions. For the WwH, this process may lead to a prevention of serious consequences for both their housing situation and for their health.

Highlights

Alcohol and substance abuse are main public mental and physical health issues
For more demographic information with respect to the women with housing (WwH) and homeless women (HW) exposed to male violence (Table 1)
Significant differences were found between all WwH and all HW in variables measuring somatic anxiety, detachment, embitterment, mistrust, verbal and physical aggression, though both groups reported scores above norm mean for subscales of stress susceptibility and embitterment

Summary

Introduction

Alcohol and substance abuse are main public mental and physical health issues. About 4.3 % of the women in Sweden over 18 years old have alcohol dependence and 10.5% suffer from alcohol abuse [1]. Over and above well documented physical and psychological consequences of substance abuse, there is a substantial risk for substance abusers to be eliminated from the labour market, social network and family networks [2,3]. Before being socially isolated from the community most of these women and their families have suffered a lot. If no arrangements such as forms of prevention and/or treatment are made, some will lose work, and home and dignity [4]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion