InWomen’s Group Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Members of the InWomen’s planning committee celebrate the 10th anniversary of the conference. Conference Chair Wendee Wechsberg holds a photo album commemorating the event. Members of the InWomen’s planning committee celebrate the 10th anniversary of the conference. Conference Chair Wendee Wechsberg holds a photo album commemorating the event.

The International Women’s and Children’s Health and Gender (InWomen’s) Group held its 10th Annual InWomen’s Conference on June 16, 2017, in Montréal, Canada. More than 85 researchers from 18 countries discussed research findings on the intersections of gender, substance use, and treatment. Thema Bryant-Davis, Ph.D., Pepperdine University, was the keynote speaker. Two panel discussions focused on prenatal alcohol and cannabis use and substance use disorders in women and families. Presentations are available on the InWomen’s Wiki site. Small-group discussions focused on co-occurring mental health conditions in primary care settings; neonatal outcomes with cannabis, opioids, and other drug use; stigma, discrimination, and other factors influencing women’s access to treatment; LGBTQ factors associated with drug use and recovery; substance use, HIV, intimate partner violence, and sex trafficking; gender and culturally sensitive substance use disorder treatment approaches for indigenous populations; and the next decade of substance use research focused on women and families. Nearly 50 researchers presented posters during the meeting. The 2017 Best Poster Award was presented to Natasha Ludwig-Barron for her poster, “Double Vulnerability: A Qualitative Analysis of Experiences of Partner Violence and Barriers to Help-Seeking Among Stimulant-Using Women With Disabilities.” InWomen’s presented travel awards to 19 researchers from 9 nations, with a large majority of presenters focusing on global research outside of the United States. The travel awards are funded by donations from individuals and organizations to support new investigators. The meeting ended with a special 10th Anniversary Celebration. The InWomen’s Conference is held immediately before the NIDA International Forum and the College on Problems of Drug Dependence Annual Scientific Meeting, and evolved from breakout sessions at the NIDA International Forum. The next InWomen’s Conference will be held in 2019.