[Consumption of alcohol and medicaments of women--results of a salutogenetic inquiry].
OBJECTIVE
We conducted two studies that focused on the comparison of women with either an insignificant or a significant consumption of alcohol and medicaments. Research questions were: 1. Under which conditions do women use alcohol or medicaments adequately, without harmful, but rather positive effects? 2. Which conditions enhance the risks of the development of addictions?


METHODS
Based on the salutogenetic model we constructed a questionnaire that was distributed to a representative sample of women aged between 20 and 60 years. A total of 1 777 women could be compared regarding sociodemographic parameters, their living conditions, social and psychological variables, sense of coherence, substance expectancies and motivations for consumption, coping and the consumption of alcohol and medicaments.


RESULTS
The results showed numerous differences between female consumers of either alcohol or medicaments, which enhanced according to the amount of substances taken. From a salutogenic viewpoint the following variables could be identified as being protective against the development of an addiction: Being married and living in a partnership, Load balance of stress and resources, especially concerning social burdens, Strong Sense of Coherence, Positive attitudes towards the pleasures of life, Competent coping with emotions, Little expectancies in the capabilities of substances to change emotions and/or feelings, Subjective contentment with own mental health.
Franke
A
A
Lehrstuhl Rehabilitationswissenschaften Universität Dortmund, Fakultät Rehabilitationswissenschaften, Germany. alexa.franke@uni-dortmund.de
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D001290:Attitude; D003710:Demography; D004358:Drug Therapy; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women