{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T23:29:10Z","timestamp":1785194950853,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,19]],"date-time":"2025-10-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1760832000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"West Midlands Police Crime Commissioners Office","award":["RB00088"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["RB00088"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The British From Harm to Hope drugs strategy seems limited in gender responsiveness. Evidence is presented from a West Midlands case study where a qualitative participatory methodology with thematic analysis was employed. The project was co-designed by academics, women with lived-experience and third-sector research leaders. To identify community drug and alcohol treatment issues and solutions, interviews and focus groups were conducted with female service users (N = 28), a range of drug and alcohol workers and managers, and women\u2019s sector practitioners (N = 17). Frontline professionals (N = 9) also took part in an online-adapted world caf\u00e9 to enrich understanding and ascertain solutions. The study found that many women using illicit drugs have trauma and mental health issues linked to (1) adverse childhood experiences, (2) child removal by local authorities, (3) domestic abuse and sexually exploitative relationships, and (4) criminal justice system engagement. Based on findings, the study recommends that women\u2019s public health pertaining to substance use, mental health and the interplay with childhood and adulthood abuse and violence needs better addressing in policy and practice. This paper highlights the need to better address women\u2019s health through developing drug and alcohol services with improved referral pathways to domestic violence and mental health services.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph22101584","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,20]],"date-time":"2025-10-20T08:18:54Z","timestamp":1760948334000},"page":"1584","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Raising a Public Health Concern: Women Overlooked in UK Drug Policy and Disadvantaged in Mixed-Gender Community Services"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"22","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4097-4849","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sarah","family":"Page","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Crime Justice and Security, University of Staffordshire, LW118 Ashley 2 Building, Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DF, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3040-8969","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fiona","family":"McCormack","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Health and Development, University of Staffordshire, BL128 Science Centre Building, Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2AR, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sophie","family":"Oldfield","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Work, Law and Criminology, C\/O University of Staffordshire, Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DF, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stephen","family":"Whitehead","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Researcher, London SE11 5DP, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hannah","family":"Jeffery","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Independent Researcher, London SE11 5DP, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"HM Government (2023, January 01). 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