Women experience more serious physical, social, medical, psychiatric and personal consequences than their male counterparts in relationship to alcohol consumption and nicotine addiction. However, in the general population, incidence of alcohol consumption and nicotine addiction in women is less than in men. Additionally, women's polysubstance use and use of substances other than alcohol is increasing in the US (Blumenthal, 1998; Najavits, 2002).
Research indicates that women with substance use disorders have more diverse treatment needs than men (Skinstad et al. 1996; Gomberg, 1999). Moreover, women who are dependent on substances experience different barriers to treatment entry, engagement and retention than their male counterparts.
Prairielands ATTC is committed to increasing the awareness and knowledge of issues related to women and substance abuse. Consequently, Prairielands has developed two programs designed to address the unique needs of women with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders: Health Lifestyle & Hand-In-Hand Curriculum
