Ethical issues in practice with older women who misuse substances.
Older women who misuse substances represent a growing population within the United States. Yet, helping professionals lack guidance in addressing ethical issues that arise in working with these older women. The purpose of this article is to (a) examine what we know about older women who misuse substances, (b) address professional ethical dilemmas and other ethical issues that emerge in treating and delivering services to older women, (c) identify barriers for treatment, and (d) propose practice recommendations. Specifically, the authors examine the overarching professional ethical dilemma or tension between client autonomy and professional beneficence that emerges in treating and delivering services to older women. Implications are delineated for professional education, gender-and age-sensitive substance misuse services, and research and policy efforts.
Koenig
Terry L
TL
University of Kansas, School of Social Welfare, Lawrence, Kansas 66044, USA. tkoenig@ku.edu
Crisp
Catherine
C
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D026686:Beneficence; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D026706:Paternalism; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D015995:Prevalence; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000941:ethics*; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016387:Women's Health