Youth, Gender & Substance Use

Young people are more likely than adults to engage in substance use, use substances in hazardous ways, and experience harm as a result of their use. Girls, boys and young people who indentify as transgender or do not wish to be assigned a gender all face unique challenges when it comes to substance use, and effective research,prevention and treatment initiatives for youth need to consider both sex and gender related factors.

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Transdisciplinarity and Addiction

Addiction is a complex health problem that involves factors spanning the social and the biological. While many lenses, disciplines and sectors are applied to research and treatment of addiction, rarely do these diverse perspectives combine to create shared approaches to research and treatment.

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Sex Related Factors in Substance Use & Addiction

Sex related factors are observed in almost every aspect of addiction, yet most existing biological research employs generic approaches, using males as the norm. Increased inclusion of both male and female research subjects is reducing this disparity, and accumulating evidence reinforces the need for the inclusion of sex (and gender) in research.

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Gender, Trauma & Substance Use

Many people with substance use problems or addictions have experienced trauma.

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Gender-Informed Prevention & Harm Reduction for Substance Use

Effective prevention strategies must respond to the diverse and often intersecting needs of people who are at risk for problematic substance use, such as mental health concerns, poverty, and experiences of trauma and violence.

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Bringing Gender into Substance Use & Addiction

Gender-based factors contribute to the pathways leading to, the physical and social consequences of, and the preferred types of treatment for substance use.

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