Hazelden recently released a two-page report entitled Women and Substance Abuse (April 2011) through the Butler Center for Research. The Research Update illustrates some of the physiological and psychological differences women experience when it comes to substance use. Physiological Differences The report notes that research has shown us that women differ from men when it…
A recent study coming out of England shows that highly educated, professional women are more likely to drink heavily. According to researchers from the University of Lancaster, the higher the household income, the higher the alcohol consumption among women. The study looked at female alcohol consumption in the U.K. and Denmark, where excessive drinking is…
Past studies have continually shown the women react to alcohol differently than men. They tend to metabolize alcohol more quickly and are subject to greater health effects as a result of regular drinking. A study out of Idaho State University is taking a look at gender-specific differences in the way the brain reacts to alcohol.…
A recent study coming out of Canada showed that 1 in 25 deaths worldwide are attributed to alcohol. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) researchers concluded that a rise since 2000 was due to more women in the world drinking alcohol. Most of the deaths caused by alcohol were through injuries, cancer, cardiovascular…
A recent study from the University of Illinois took a look at how the use of a recovery coach may benefit pregnant women struggling with substance abuse problems. In the study, recovery coaches – case workers with special training in addiction, relapse prevention, case management and counseling – were shown to reduce the number of…
A new study found an increase in alcohol dependence possibly due to American teenagers drinking at earlier ages. In particular, this increase in alcohol dependence seemed to be explained by women drinking at increasingly younger ages throughout time. While researchers saw an increase in earlier drinking and alcohol dependence in men, the changes were much…
Researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston and Boston Medical Center have found that the effects of fetal exposure to alcohol, drugs and tobacco persist into early adolescence. The study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans to the effects on brain structure into early adolescence. Participants of the study included 35 young adolescents, with an average…
