Women, as it turns out, are more likely than men to abuse prescribed painkillers, based on findings of a new study.
A team of doctors and researchers studied the data of more than 500 patients of the Ontario, Canada methadone clinics and found that 52 percent of the women said that prescription painkillers like codeine were their gateway for opioid drugs.
"The face of addiction has dramatically changed in Canada," said study author Zena Samaan, associate professor of psychiatry at McMaster University.
Patients becoming addicted to doctor-prescribed opioids have risen by 30 percent in the recent years, and those being treated for opioid addictions are older now than the typical age for addicts during the 1990s (38 years old compared to 25). Patients also report being introduced to the opioids at an older age (25 years old compared to 21).
These findings come as no surprise to healthcare professionals working with pain reliever addicts for years, though data from the study could help educate the public and eliminate some stigmas associated with the addiction.
"I think the reality is we all know somebody who has a substance use issue. The more we're able to, not normalize it but at least talk about it, the more likely that person can get some help," said Debbie Bang, manager of addiction services at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton.
The idea that men are more prone to pain medication addiction compared to women is outdated. It is also not entirely accurate when applied today. Nevertheless, a majority of the therapy for treating opioid addiction is still aimed towards young men, especially those who are addicted to pain medication injection.
Experts also believe that the study will help improve approaches to treating addictions and address specific needs different between men and women.
"We definitely found an overrepresentation of women," said Samaan, though it is still not clear as to why this is so. Samaan suggested that it may be due to the availability of opioids as well as the theory that females are more likely to see their doctors than men.
Findings of the study are published on the Biology of Sex Difference journal.
