The antecedents of women's crack cocaine abuse: family substance abuse, sexual abuse, depression and illicit drug use.

Young African-American women are the fastest growing group of crack cocaine users in the United States. Despite this increase, relatively little is known about women who use crack cocaine and the possible reasons for their drug use. This descriptive, exploratory study focused on data from a sample of 105, predominantly African-American women who use(d) crack cocaine, of whom 60 were in drug treatment and 45 were still using crack cocaine. Significant correlations were found between variables such as family drug use, first age of sexual abuse, age of first depressive symptoms and age of first illicit drug use. These data are consistent with other studies which have noted high rates of depression and sexual abuse in samples of predominantly Euro-American, alcoholic women. Implications for the treatment of women are discussed.