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Alcohol Treatment Access and Engagement Among Women in the USA: a Targeted Review of the Literature 2012–2022

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review is to examine recent literature (2012–2022) on alcohol treatment access and engagement in women in the USA and propose future directions for research and clinical practice.

Recent Findings

A targeted literature review resulted in 27 studies encompassing screening and brief intervention (SBIRT), treatment utilization, treatment engagement, and barriers to treatment. Recent literature demonstrates overall low rates of screening and brief interventions and treatment utilization in the population with women less likely to be screened and utilize alcohol treatment. The magnitude of these gender differences varies with race/ethnicity. Extensive barriers to care include provider knowledge, structural barriers, and attitudinal barriers and these vary with service setting, gender, and race/ethnicity.

Summary

There is an increasing prevalence of alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD) in women with low rates of screening, brief treatment, treatment, and engagement which have resulted from extensive barriers to care. Possible areas of further inquiry include the impact of race/ethnicity on gender differences, improving provider and system level policies to promote SBIRT and treatment engagement and utilization, further developing digital interventions and implementation research to investigate factors associated with optimizing effectiveness of gender-responsive and culturally tailored interventions that address the unique needs of women.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, Grant/Award Number K23DA050780 and the Women’s Mental Health Innovation Fund, McLean Hospital.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA

    Emily A. Levine, Dawn E. Sugarman, Mary Rockas, R. Kathryn McHugh, Chloe Jordan & Shelly F. Greenfield

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Dawn E. Sugarman, Mary Rockas, R. Kathryn McHugh, Chloe Jordan & Shelly F. Greenfield

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  1. Emily A. Levine
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Correspondence to Shelly F. Greenfield.

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Levine, E.A., Sugarman, D.E., Rockas, M. et al. Alcohol Treatment Access and Engagement Among Women in the USA: a Targeted Review of the Literature 2012–2022. Curr Addict Rep 10, 638–648 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-023-00515-1

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