Demographic and clinical profile of substance abusing women seeking treatment at a de-addiction center in north India.

BACKGROUND

In the recent decades increasing number of women have been seeking deaddiction services. Despite that the report data is very limited from India.

OBJECTIVES

The present research aimed to study the demographic and clinical profile of women seeking deaddiction treatment at a tertiary care center in North India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective structured chart review of 100 women substance abusers seeking treatment at a deaddiction center between September 1978 and December 2011.

RESULTS

A typical case was of 36.3 years age, married (65%), urban (61%), nuclear family (59%) based housewife (56%), with good to fair social support (69%). The commonest substance of abuse was tobacco (60%), followed by opioids (27%), alcohol (15%), and benzodiazepines (13%). The common reasons for initiation of substance use were to alleviate frustration or stress (49%) and curiosity (37%). Family history of drug dependence (43%), comorbidity (25%), and impairments in health (74%), family (57%), and social domains (56%) were common. Only a third of the sample paid one or more follow visit, and of those 58% were abstinent at the last follow-up. Significant predictors identified were being non-Hindu and higher educational years for abstinent status at follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The common substances of abuse were tobacco, opioids, and alcohol and benzodiazepines; and family history of drug abuse and comorbidity were common. The follow-up and outcome were generally poor. This profile gives us some clues to address a hidden health problem of the community.