Classism and colonization are also common denominators for women of color. These common denominators, and extenuating factors, such as poverty, mental illness, violence, and substance abuse, often propel women of color into social services which are not equipped to deal with their unique challenges. Traditional substance abuse treatment services have focused primarily on men instead of women, and ethnicity has been a secondary treatment consideration to gender, if considered at all. In developing quality social services, both race and gender must be equally considered, as it greatly impacts both the initial diagnosis as well as the successful or unsuccessful treatment outcome of women of color. Drugs of Abuse Women of color do not abuse substances more than other groups, but substance abuse is often associated with violence, AIDS, physical illness, and many other epidemiological and health problems that may disproportionately affect their lives.
Substance abuse affects women of color regardless of their socioeconomic status.
For women with low incomes, street drugs become the drug of choice due to their availability, while middle and upper-class women of color often become addicted to prescription drugs. Because alcohol is legal, it is as serious a problem for women of color as it is for the general population. For American Indian women, alcoholism and alcohol-related mortality are the predominant health problems. American women of Asian or Pacific Islander descent, on the other hand, have a low prevalence of both alcohol and other drug abuse. This is attributed to strong cultural traditions, such as the emphasis on the family versus individualism, more restrictive roles for women, and the philosophical concept of moderation predominant in these cultures.