ADVANCING HEALTH-CARE PRACTICE





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4.4     Exercises

For many women, pregnancy, the birth of their child, or seeing the impact of abuse or their use of substances on their children, are powerful catalysts for making significant life changes. Some women make these changes on their own. Many need some sort of peer or professional support or medical treatment.

However, women face significant barriers to accessing treatment or services. In Apprehensions: Barriers to Treatment for Substance-Using Mothers (2001), Nancy Poole and Barbara Isaac describe the barriers pregnant and early parenting women across British Columbia name in accessing drug or alcohol treatment for the first time. The top barriers named by women are:



With the exception of waiting lists, barriers like these are sometimes referred to as 'personal' barriers, something that women need to get over. Think back to Susan and Judy's experiencesE

Are these barriers entirely within women, or are they also created by our society?

Are some of these impacts of abuse or substance use?

Are some of these impacts of previous experiences within systems?

Resource Link: Apprehensions

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