title: Effect of waiting time on substance abuse treatment completion in pregnant women.
abstract: Although substance abuse treatment is associated with improved maternal and neonatal outcomes, pregnant women may be at increased risk of attrition. To explore the hypothesis that shorter waiting time for treatment is associated with increased completion, we analyzed all pregnant treatment admissions and discharges in the Treatment Episode Data Set-Discharges. There were 10,661 pregnant admissions in 2006. The effect of waiting time on treatment completion was modified by treatment setting. Immediate entry into ambulatory treatment, where most pregnant women are treated, was significantly associated with completion (odds ratio = 1.27, 95% confidence interval = 1.14-1.41). Criminal justice referral and a high school education were identified as completion predictors in all treatment settings. Waiting time impacts treatment completion in pregnant women. Resources need to be directed to ensure immediate access to treatment, particularly in the ambulatory setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. jalbr003@umaryland.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: Brianna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: Mishka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terplan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D014850:Waiting Lists