when researchers compared the scores derived from answers provided by the male subjects with information gathered from the female participants.

The group of drug-addicted adult women had the best overall average score. “Adults and female addicts show better mental health than adolescents and male addicts,” researchers stated.

The study pointed out that while there’s extensive literature available on the impacts of drug addiction on mental health, few studies investigated whether or not there were differences regarding the nature of addiction in different age groups.  

According to the researchers, their findings were similar to those of at least two previous studies conducted in India, which is why they concluded that clinicians should start rejecting the idea that there’s no significant interaction between the age and the gender of patients struggling with substance use disorders.

“To sum up, taking into account the results of the current study, we might conclude that age and gender [of people with substance use disorders are] significant factors in mental health,” researchers stated.