As it is women’s history month, we think it appropriate to highlight how women are uniquely affected by America’s opioid epidemic. Women face many distinct challenges in our healthcare system, and one of them is receiving higher rates of opioid prescriptions, at higher doses on average, than men, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH). On top of this, the NIH reports that women have lower rates of access to medication treatments for opioid addiction, such as methadone. Women are more likely than men to begin using opioids because of a doctor’s prescription, and if they turn to illicit opioids, they face significantly higher rates of sexual violence. The month of March is an important time for all of us to reflect on the hurdles women overcome throughout their lives, and being aware of them is a great way to help push towards equality!
Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7392801/#:~:text=Research%20shows%20that%20due%20to,dependence%20with%20smaller%20amounts4.
