NCJ Number
127465
Date Published
1990
Length
47 pages
Annotation
A review of research literature on the use of alcohol by women in the United States and Western and Eastern Europe forms the basis of this description of women's drinking habits, patterns of alcohol-related problems, physical effects of alcohol, alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and therapeutic responses to alcohol problems.
Abstract
The analysis concludes that females generally drink less than males and therefore are much less likely than males to experience problems due to their own drinking. However, females are affected by specific quantities of alcohol differently than males. In addition, heavy alcohol consumption by pregnant women may have harmful effects on fetal development. Moreover, treatment systems need to become more sensitive to women's needs, especially their greater concern for confidentiality, their low self-esteem, and their family responsibilities. Other concerns are the alcohol advertising directed toward young women and the ineffectiveness of health education in reducing the misuse of alcohol. 261 references