Examining Gendered Treatment Barriers Among People With Substance Use and Co-Occurring Mental Health Problems

Despite the increasing rates of substance use by women, they continue to be underreported in substance use services. Factors related to women's relationships, family responsibilities, and stigma may provide insight into some of the barriers encountered by women. This study compared men and women on general and women-predominant barriers. In addition, this study investigated whether these barriers differed among individuals who use opioids compared to those who use other substances only. In total, 100 self-identifying men and women were recruited from a substance use service in Ontario. Participants completed a questionnaire package which measured demographic information, substance use, mental health and barriers. Although men and women encountered similar general barriers, women experienced significantly more women-predominant barriers. In addition, women reported higher levels of perceived stigmatization compared to men. Barriers did not differ among individuals who used opioids compared to other substances.