
Research view
Title: | The National Addiction Research Program: prevalence of alcohol and substance use among women in Cairo |
Author: | Emad Hamdi, Noha Sabry, Aref Khoweiled, Albert Edward and Dalia Enaba |
Abstract: |
Background
Drug abuse has been considered a male problem. Studies from several areas including
epidemiology, behavioural pharmacology and neurosciences have taken a male-centric
approach when analysing factors and/or treatments that influence drug abuse. This
approach has led to a neglect of factors underlying drug abuse in women. Therefore,
the extent and effects of drug abuse on women are not fully understood.
Objective
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of substance misuse and
dependence among women residing in Cairo, Egypt.
Participants and methods
This is the fourth phase of the National Addiction Research Program. A total of 12 708
female residents from Cairo were interviewed in two waves: 2008 and 2009,
according to a stratified sampling design. A specially designed questionnaire with
questions derived from the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was applied to all
participants.
Results
A total of 3413 participants reported having tried smoking at least once in their life
(26.8%), and 1802 participants reported using illicit substances at least once in their
life (14.2%). Recreational and occasional patterns of substance use were reported by
2.5 and 2% of women, respectively, whereas regular use and abuse/dependence were
more common (4.8 and 4.9%, respectively). Lower levels of education are related to
higher prevalence of substance use, as well as higher prevalence of substance use in
the separated, widow and divorced than single than married females. Women in the
age range of 20–35 years had the highest rate of substance use. Cannabinoids were
the most frequently used substances among the study sample (6.9%), followed by
alcohol (3.8%) and opioids (2.7%).
Conclusion
The prevalence of substance use among women in Cairo is increasing (compared with
a similar study published in 2009). The true prevalence of substance use in Cairo is
probably higher than that reported, bearing in mind the extent of under-reporting.
However, the extent of abuse/dependence detected in this study is unexpectedly high,
probably because of sample composition and level of researcher training.
Keywords:
abuse, dependence, prevalence, substance misuse, women
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Journal: | Egyptian Journal of Psychiatry 2013, 34:155–163 |
Text: | |
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