BARRIERS TO ACCESSING THE BRAZILIAN HEALTHCARE NETWORK FOR ADDICTED WOMEN

Abstract

Substance abuse among women is a serious public health issue in Brazil, marked by severe biopsychosocial consequences. This essay objectives to identify the main challenges faced by addicted women when seeking the Brazilian healthcare network. To this end, a critical-reflective methodology was adopted through a literature review between 2016 and 2026 in the SciELO, PePSIC, and PubMed databases. As main results, it was found that women represent only 15% to 20% of specialized care and seek help late, omitting substance use in basic consultations for fear of judgment. The discussion points out that equitable access is hindered by internal barriers, such as the internalization of guilt and self-pity due to the breakdown of social roles regarding gender and motherhood, and external barriers, characterized by stigmatization, moral judgment by health professionals, and institutional lack of technical preparation. It concludes that effective care requires gender-specific public policies.