Substance use among women in shelters for abused women and children. Programming opportunities.
OBJECTIVE
This study explores changes in the use of alcohol and other substances by women in British Columbia as they moved into shelters for abused women and again three months later. We see this time as a key life transition, and potentially a rich opportunity for influencing women's substance use behaviour. The purpose of this study was to document changes in the level of use of alcohol and other substances and the levels of stress among women as they moved through shelters for abused women.


METHODS
Standardized questionnaires augmented by qualitative interviews were employed to measure alcohol and substance use, experiences of abuse, and levels and types of stressors facing women in this situation.


RESULTS
Significant reductions in women's use of alcohol and stimulants were observed from Interview I to Interview II, but there was no significant reduction in use of other depressants or tobacco use. Levels of stress decreased and sources of stress changed for the women after the shelter experience. Stress connected to relationship with partners had the most significant decrease, followed by mental health, housing, and legal issues. Women reported barriers to accessing financial aid and services for substance use outside of the shelter.


CONCLUSIONS
Women's experiences of violence and substance use were found to be interconnected in complex ways and changes in substance use were affected by a range of influences, such as financial concerns, mothering, relationships, levels of social support, and physical and mental health issues. Substance-using women who have experienced violence are an underserved population and a multi-sectoral response designed to address psychosocial, relational, and structural issues could better help them improve their overall health.
Greaves
Lorraine
L
British Columbia Centre of Excellence for Women's Health, Vancouver. lgreaves@cw.bc.ca
Chabot
Cathy
C
Jategaonkar
Natasha
N
Poole
Nancy
N
McCullough
Lucy
L
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D011610:Psychosocial Deprivation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires