Women seek alcohol treatment between an average of 4 to 5 years earlier than men

Epidemiological studies have revealed that historical differences between men and women in substance use – such as lifetime dependence rates, and quantities of alcohol consumed – have narrowed in recent decades. However, recent examination of gender differences in drinking patterns and rapidity of disease progression in women, generally referred to as "telescoping," among treatment-seekers is largely lacking. Results from a new study of these gender differences in a sample of individuals seeking treatment for a substance use disorder are only partially supportive of gender-contingent telescoping.

Results will be published in the January 2014 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.

"Historically, alcoholism has been considered a 'male disease' due to its markedly higher prevalence among men," explained Ben Lewis, a postdoctoral associate in the psychiatry department at the University of Florida as well as corresponding author for the study. "More recently it has been recognized that while men may have a higher prevalence, women may be uniquely vulnerable to negative consequences of chronic drinking. In particular, it was recognized that women might experience a 'telescoping' effect, wherein they progress more rapidly through various stages of the disease."

"Although we have considerable knowledge regarding the evolution of alcohol problems, research focusing on how men and women differ in how alcohol use disorders develop, what factors put drinkers at greater risk compared with those who do not develop alcohol-related problems, and what variables are most important in the maintenance of sobriety as they pertain specifically to men compared with women may aid in tailoring medical and psychosocial treatment methods," added Rosemary Fama, senior research scientist and senior research neuropsychologist at Stanford University School of Medicine and SRI International.

"While previous examinations of gender differences among treatment seekers have been conducted, these examinations generally use somewhat strict exclusion criteria, meaning that participants are often selected based on factors such as age and education, and often report limited use of other drugs," said Lewis. "Our study is unique in that no such exclusions were made. We feel this makes our findings more applicable to the broad population of treatment seekers."

Lewis and his co-author and mentor Sara Jo Nixon asked men (n=274) and women (n=257) in substance abuse treatment facilities to complete inventories quantifying affect, intellectual ability, and drinking consequences. Data were also collected and analyzed pertaining to family history, spousal alcoholism, and nicotine use, as well as alcohol drinking levels, age at drinking milestones such as first drink and first intoxication, and progression from milestones to alcohol problems or treatment.

"Certain aspects of our findings confirm 'telescoping' in women, but importantly, others do not," said Lewis. "For example, the finding that men and women both transitioned from early drinking events to problems with alcohol in the same average time would not support the concept of telescoping. In contrast, and more consistent with telescoping, women moved from experiencing drinking problems to treatment an average of four years earlier."