Substance Abuse Among Lesbians

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how substance abuse has touched every demographic of America. This paper further discusses the trends and issues regarding substance abuse affecting specifically the lesbian group. The paper provides an overview of alcohol abuse in lesbians, as well as the "coming out" factor of substance abuse in lesbians. The writer recommends additional research and appropriate support programs. The paper examines how policy changes can better protect the lesbian population from discrimination and the associated stressors.

Outline:
Abstract
Overview
Trends and Issues
Alcohol Abuse in Lesbians
'Coming Out' as a Factor in Substance Abuse
Treatment: A Call for Additional Research
Implications for Research, Support and Policy
Conclusion
References

From the Paper:

"Research concerning substance abuse amongst lesbians often center on regional data. There are challenges that face substance abuse research when discussing the specific population of lesbians, however. The term 'lesbian' alone often causes confusion as it is somewhat ambiguous. In addition to this challenge, sexual orientation in research is self-reported, leading to errors, especially in subjects who may fear the stigma of being labeled as a lesbian."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bradford, J. & Ryan, C. (1987). The National Health Care Survey: Final report. Washington, DC: National Lesbian and Gay Health Foundation.
• 'Coming out' process related to substance use among gay, lesbian and bisexual teens. (Jun 2005). The Brown University Digest of Addiction Theory & Application, 24(6): p. 3-4.
• Emmett, D. & Nice, G. (2006). Understanding street drugs. Jessica Kingsley Publishers: London.
• Fifield, L., Lathan, J., & Phillips, C. (1977). Alcoholism in the gay community: The price of alienation, isolation and oppression. Los Angeles, CA: A Project of the Gay Community Services Center.
• Gilman, S., Cochran, S., Mays, V., Hughes, M., Ostrow, D., & Kessler, R. (2001). Risk of psychiatric disorders among individuals reporting same-sex sexual partners in the National Comorbidity Survey. American Journal of Public Health, 91(6): p. 933-939.

More papers on Substance Abuse Among Lesbians:

• Essay # 46533 : "Substance Abuse Among the Elderly"
• Term Paper # 97266 : "Substance Abuse among the Elderly"
• Research Paper # 93190 : "Nurses and Substance Abuse"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: