Female substance abuse represents a critical yet often invisible public health crisis in contemporary India, characterized by substantially higher morbidity and mortality compared to male counterparts despite lower reported prevalence rates. This comprehensive research examines the epidemiology, phenomenology, and multidimensional health consequences of substance abuse specifically among women in developing contexts. Drawing from meta-analytic synthesis of national surveillance data, clinical cohort studies, and qualitative research spanning India's de-addiction treatment centers, this paper documents alarming patterns: women constitute only 2.8 percent of treatment-seeking populations nationally yet demonstrate accelerated disease progression ("telescoping"), higher rates of psychiatric comorbidity (68.9% depression, 66.7% anxiety), reproductive and maternal health complications including elevated miscarriage risk, neonatal abstinence syndrome, and profound vulnerability to gender-based violence. The research reveals that women initiate substance abuse at mean age 17.2 years (earlier than male counterparts), progress to dependence within shorter timeframes despite lower consumption frequencies, and experience severe sociooccupational dysfunction, family dissolution, and health deterioration. Critical barriers to treatment access—including structural stigma, inadequate gender-sensitive treatment infrastructure, lack of childcare resources, and fear of legal consequences—perpetuate a massive treatment gap: only 5.6 percent of women with substance use disorders nationwide receive treatment compared to 12 percent of men. This paper synthesizes evidence-based clinical findings with policy recommendations for gender-responsive addiction medicine, emphasizing integrated biomedical, psychiatric, and psychosocial interventions tailored to women's specific vulnerabilities and health needs
Keywords : female substance abuse, gender differences addiction, women's health, psychiatric comorbidity, maternal health complications, treatment barriers India, gender-sensitive interventions
Author : Dr. Bollineni Mukunda Naidu
Title : FEMALE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ASSOCIATED HEALTH CONSEQUENCES: A COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL RESEARCH ANALYSIS
Volume/Issue : 2025;02(01)
Page No : 44-57