Government assistance boosts drug treatment access for women with OUD

Government assistance boosts drug treatment access for women with OUD | Image Credit: © steheap - © steheap - stock.adobe.com.

The odds of treatment for drug use disorder (DUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) are increased in women enrolled in government assistant programs, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.¹

Higher treatment rates among women with support

The data found significantly higher rates of receipts of drug treatment and medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) among women with access to these programs, providing additional knowledge about addressing treatment gaps in women with substance use disorders. This highlights the importance of policies for treatment referrals and access to support services.¹

“Medicaid, in particular, continues to play a critical role in facilitating access to drug treatment among women,” said Silvia Martins, MD, PhD, professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and senior author. “But our findings also highlight how complementary services—such as child care and employment support—can reduce structural barriers to care.”¹

Assessing OUD treatment with survey data

The 2022 public-use National Survey for Drug Use and Health was assessed for relevant data.² Participants included women aged 18 to 64 years meeting DSM-5 criteria for DUD and OUD within the past year.

During the primary analyses, rates of past-year treatment for DUD and MOUD among women with OUD were compared between those with and without government assistance or Medicaid receipt. Separate logistic regressions were then conducted to classify odds based on the type and number of programs received.²

Sociodemographics were controlled for in this analysis. These included education, age, race and ethnicity, employment status, marital status, education level, and number of children.¹

Significant increase in treatment odds

Significantly increased odds of past-year DUD treatment were reported in women receiving both Medicaid and government assistance vs those receiving neither, with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 2.91.² Similarly, the aOR for MOUD among women with past-year OUD receiving both forms of assistance vs neither was 3.41, highlighting significantly increased odds.

Notably, there was a gender gap in access to treatment.¹ While MOUD was received by 14% of women with OUD, this rate rose to 23% among men.

Overall, this data highlighted significant increases in drug treatment in women with DUD and MOUD in those with OUD.² Investigators concluded that treatment barriers, including child care, lack of insurance, and employment support, are detrimental to accessing drug treatment, indicating a need for a government support program to address these barriers.

“Our findings suggest that targeted interventions that include direct treatment linked to support services like housing, transportation, vocational training, and childcare and that go beyond health insurance alone could significantly increase treatment uptake and overcome structural barriers that disproportionately affect women,” wrote investigators.¹

Supporting evidence

The efficacy of these interventions has been shown in a clinical trial published in early 2025, assessing the Mothers and Newborns affected by Opioids - Obstetric (MNO-OB) initiative.³ Hospitals in this initiative engaged in facility-wide screening protocols, providing medication-assisted treatment to patients, and providing OUD counseling to patients and providers.

Participants included pregnant women aged a mean of 30.1 ± 5.32 years with OUD. This population had a prenatal screening rate of 2% before the MNO-OB initiative was implemented, rising to 42% after implementation. Additionally, rates of screening at the delivery admission rose from 2% to 88%. This highlighted the benefits of initiatives to increase OUD treatment.³

References:

1. Drug treatment among women increases with access to social safety net programs. Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. June 17, 2025. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1087901.
2. Gardner SD, Hasui S, Gutkind S. Social safety net programs: the relationship with drug treatment among women. American Journal of Preventive Medicine.2025. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2025.107948
3. Krewson C. Statewide initiative improves opioid use disorder care for pregnant patients. Contemporary OB/GYN. January 29, 2025. Accessed June 25, 2025.