Girls Unique Pathways to Addiction

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• Girls Unique Pathways to Addiction
• Girls Inc of NW Oregon
• Inspiring all girls to be strong,
• smart, and bold!

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Goals

• Present research on gender-specific pathways to
  addiction
• Introduce research-based, gender- specific
  prevention programs

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Data Sources

• Oregon Healthy Teen Survey 2004
• 6,561 8th graders
• 4,352 11th graders
• CASA 2003 (Center on Addiction and Substance
  Abuse at Columbia University)
• Girls Incorporated and Girl Scout National
  Research Institutes

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Girls and Substance Abuse

• 57 increase in methamphetamine use among girls
  in the last ten years
• 20 increase in substance abuse among 8-12 year
  old girls
• Girls use painkillers and stimulants at higher
  rates than boys
• Girls demonstrate more favorable attitudes
  towards drinking than boys
• Teenage girls are more likely to smoke, binge
  drink and use illicit drugs while pregnant
• DHS, 2004
• CASA, 2003

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Pathways to Addiction

• Early puberty
• Frequent moving
• Transitions from elementary to middle school,
  middle to high, and high school to college are
  times of risk
• Coffee consumption
• Low self-esteem
• Poor body-image
• CASA 2003

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Pathways contd..

• Depression
• Abuse
• Unstable peer relationships
• Family influence
• Partner use
• Easy access
• Biology susceptibility

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Motivations

• To achieve
• Confidence
• Social advancement/obtain social approval
• Sexual experience

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Low self-esteem may not be everything but
without it there is nothing.Gloria Steinem
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Dieting Patterns
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Girls and Self-Esteem

• 1/3 (35.5) of girls report frequent feelings of
  hopelessness
• Less than 1/3 of girls report feeling good about
  the way they look
• Frequent dieters are twice as likely to use
  substances
• High school girls who smoke or drink are twice as
  likely to report feeling depressed
• CASA, 2003
• Girl Scouts, 2000
• CASA, 2003

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Depression/Suicide Ideation
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Girls and Suicide

• High school girls who smoke or drink are twice as
  likely to have considered or committed suicide
  (47 vs 25.3)
• High school girls are likelier than boys to
  consider and attempt suicide
• Socially isolated girls are twice as likely as
  boys to consider suicide
• Girls with intransitive friendships are twice as
  likely as boys to consider suicide
• CASA
• Bearman and Moody, 2004

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Girls and Abuse

• 81.5 of sexual abuse victims are female
• 60 of these victims are under the age of 14
• There was a 20 increase in reported sexual abuse
  cases in 2003
• Sexually abused girls are twice as likely to
  abuse substances
• DHS Report on Children, 2003
• CASA, 2003

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School-Based Harassment
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Impact of Harassment

• Absenteeism/school avoidance
• Anxiety/depression/loneliness
• Poor body image
• Eating disorders
• Self-mutilation
• Delinquent or other anti-social behaviors
• Early experimentation with drug and alcohol abuse

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Ethnic/Race findings

• Correlation between lifetime discrimination and
  smoking/higher blood pressure in African
  Americans
• Discrimination results in increased psychosocial
  stress
• African American girls have more protective
  factors
• Latinas have stronger
• family ties
• Amaro, Blake, Shwartz, Flinchbaugh 2001

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What do we do about it?
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Limited Prevention

• 70 of girls do not learn about drugs, alcohol,
  and tobacco from Girl or Boy Scouts or other
  clubs
• OR Healthy Teen Survey, 2004

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• Build protective factors
• Utilize gender-specific programs
• Build a web of support
• Advocate, Advocate!!!!

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We need a public overhaul of addiction policy
and practice or millions of women will continue
to suffer the consequences of addiction.

• Joseph Califano- PresidentNational Center on
  Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia
  University

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Key Prevention Considerations

• Parents are the first line for prevention
• One size approach doesnt fit both genders
• Efforts should target girls most at-risk
• Health professionals should screen young women
  for substance abuse
• The clergy plays a significant role
• Policy makers need to wake up

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Gender-specific strategies for prevention and
adolescent continuing care
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Girls Incorporated Prevention Programs

• Are research based
• Connect girls to healthy peer network
• Provide adult support/guidance
• Celebrate being a girl
• Are fun and educational
• Inspire girls to believe in themselves

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Program Models

• Friendly PEERsuasion
• GO Onward
• Allies in Action

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Friendly PEERsuasion

• Only drug and alcohol program designed
  specifically for girls in the US
• SAMHSA designated research-based practice
• Has been implemented in over 30 states with over
  200,000 girls

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Friendly PEERsuasion

• Focuses on key areas of communication, stress,
  peer, media
• Targets populations of girls most at-risk
• Is available in Spanish
• Is FUN and ENGAGING!!!

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GO Onward Program

• After care/transitional coaching model
• Is community-based
• Utilizes licensed practitioners
• Is at least 6 months in duration
• Is relationship based
• Has been piloted
• Is COST-EFFECTIVE

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Allies in Action

• Objectives
• Builds healthier school climates for
• girls
• Builds stable peer relationships
• Promotes behavior analysis
• Teaches critical analysis
• Builds social and conflict
• resolution skills
• Involves parents, teachers, and
• administration

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Resources

• Programs
• Friendly PEERsuasion
• GO Onward Program
• Allies in Action
• Resource Library
• Training
• Advocacy

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• Girls Incorporated
• [phone]
• info_at_girlsincnworegon.org
• www. girlsincnworegon.org