Social safety net programs: the relationship with drug treatment among women.

Abstract

Introduction: Social safety net programs (e.g., Medicaid and government assistance) may facilitate drug use disorder (DUD) treatment receipt. This study explored associations of social safety net programs with drug treatment and medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD)receipt among women with DUD and opioid use disorder (OUD), respectively.

Methods: Data were from the 2022 public-use National Survey for Drug Use and Health (analyzed in 2024) from women ages 18-64 who met criteria for past-year DSM-5 DUD (n=2,784) and OUD (n=458). Odds of past-year DUD treatment among women with DUD and past-year MOUD treatment among women with OUD were estimated by government assistance and/or Medicaid receipt in primary analyses, followed by secondary categorizations of exposure (any government assistance; number of programs received), using separate logistic regressions, controlling for sociodemographics.

Results: In primary analyses, women with DUD receiving both Medicaid and government assistance were more likely to report past-year DUD treatment (aOR: 2.91, 95% CI=1.60, 5.29) compared to women receiving neither. Women with past-year OUD receiving both Medicaid and government assistance were more likely to report MOUD (aOR: 3.41, 95% CI=1.01, 11.61) compared to those receiving neither. Secondary analyses results were in the same direction.

Conclusion: Likelihood of drug treatment and MOUD receipt among women with DUD/OUD, respectively, increased when Medicaid was combined with other forms of government assistance. Treatment costs and other barriers such as lack of insurance, childcare, and employment support are critical determinants of drug treatment; This study's findings suggest government support programs may help to buffer these known barriers.