"A good mother": Impact of motherhood identity on women's substance use and engagement in treatment across the lifespan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Women are underrepresented in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Interpersonal and structural factors affect women's access to SUD treatment, but limited research evaluates how motherhood is a potential barrier and facilitator to engagement in SUD treatment. We focus on women from young to middle adulthood, and capture women's identities as mothers, caretakers, and grandmothers, outside of pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Methods

Study staff conducted twenty qualitative interviews with women in SUD treatment to assess experiences with SUD treatment, in which motherhood emerged as a key theme. Twelve women then participated in four focus groups centered on motherhood. The study audio-recorded and transcribed interviews, and two independent authors analyzed

SUBMITTER: Adams ZM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8478714 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature