Barriers to and need for alcohol services for women in rural populations

Background: This article reviews and summarizes the research on alcohol pro blems and issues related to alcohol services for rural women. Methods: We discuss the prevalence of alcohol problems, help-seeking behavi or and barriers to help-seeking for rural women and suggest directions for future research for rural women with alcohol problems. We also address key methodological issues in measuring rurality that must be considered when de signing research on rural women. Results: Little is known about these topics, specifically for rural women, and much has to be currently inferred either from studies of psychiatric di sorders in rural populations, from studies of urban or suburban women, or f rom general research about rural life. Conclusions: Increased knowledge regarding specific issues for women with a lcohol problems in rural areas, particularly about gender-specific barriers to obtaining services and gender-specific needs for particular services, w ill be beneficial for developing programs designed to meet the unique needs of this group of women.