Characteristics of women seeking intensive outpatient substance use treatment in the VA.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate gender differences among veterans receiving intensive outpatient (IOP) substance use treatment in a national VA sample and to compare women attending IOP with women with substance use disorders in VA primary care.


METHODS
VA national databases were used to identify all veterans receiving intensive IOP substance use treatment in 1999 along with a matched cohort of individuals with substance use disorders attending primary care but not in treatment.


RESULTS
Few women (2.8%) were treated in IOP at the VA. Among the women who did receive treatment, substantial clinical differences were found compared with men in IOP treatment. Women with substance use disorders were younger, more likely to have cocaine abuse or dependence disorders, and more likely to have extensive psychiatric and medical comorbidities than men with substance use disorders in the VA. Women in treatment were also found to be significantly different from women with substance use disorders not in treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Outreach and new programming for women veterans with substance use disorders in the VA is critical in order to treat these issues early and potentially prevent multiple, severe comorbid illnesses.
VA Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D), Center for Mental Health and Outcomes Research, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72114, USA. steckertracy@uams.edu
Tracy
T
Stecker
Xiaotong
X
Han
Geoffrey M
GM
Curran
Brenda M
BM
Booth
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016387:Women's Health