YWSUD: Enhancing the voice of young women journeying through and beyond problematic substance use: Reverse innovation insights from India to the UK

UK problematic substance use (PSU) is highest in 16-24 year olds with a recent estimate that 6.9% of women consume illegal substances each year. Young women with PSU are a chronically-underserved, under-researched demographic. Women's treatment needs are unique, however there is a dearth of provision and little research on what women with PSU want from services. My mission is to enhance the voice of young women journeying through and beyond PSU. I bring insights from my use of visual methods with a similar demographic in India and will embed women's perspectives in research, UK policy, and service development. This work builds on a partnership with Humankind Charity, one of the UK's largest drug and alcohol treatment providers. Aim 1: To enhance psychological, social and cultural insights into the experience of risk, resilience and recovery with regard to young women with PSU in the UK. This will be achieved through a systematic research review and a research study with a diverse sample of 12-15 women aged 18-30 years on their recovery journey. Data will be generated using visual methods-informed interviews and analysed with Thematic Analysis. Aim 2: To promote young women's voice with respect to PSU to raise public awareness and inform policy in the UK. This will be achieved through creating 5 co-produced films, public engagement, and promoting a policy brief. Aim 3: To adapt visual methods to enhance service provision for young women with PSU. This will be achieved through a placement with Humankind focused on knowledge exchange with service users and providers, and the creation of a training manual on using visual methods with young women with PSU. Scientific impacts include understanding the basis of an innovative solution to supporting the recovery from PSU. Social impacts include interrupting the intergeneration cycle of deprivation. Economic impacts are potentially enormous given that every pound spent on drug treatment saves 2.5 times that in future costs.