Iran's dual crisis: Women with addiction and mental illness fall through care gaps
A new analysis reveals Iranian women with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders face severe treatment barriers including stigma and fragmented healthcare systems. The gap matters to policymakers: integrated treatment programs can work, but require government coordination or NGO intervention—and currently neither is happening at scale.
Originaltitel: Inequalities in care for Iranian women suffering from the comorbidity of substance use and mental illness: The need for integrated treatment
<p>This paper addresses the comorbidity of substance use and mental illness among women in Iran and the barriers they encounter in accessing treatment. Research has demonstrated a higher prevalence of comorbidity of substance use disorders and mental illness among women than men. It has been suggested that women in Iran may face numerous barriers to appropriate care, such as stigma and discrimination associated with substance use. Integrated treatment for cooccurring disorders (CODs) has been highly beneficial and effective; however, personal and structural limitations impede this treatment approach, which explains the need to develop a situation- and culture-specific program. Needs assessment is necessary to achieve an integrated treatment, and the Iranian government should take the lead in this endeavor. However, if this seems unlikely, non-governmental organizations could be called upon to promote it.</p>