Gender Differences in Outcomes in an HMO—Based Substance Abuse Treatment Program

Abstract

This study examined gender differences in treatment outcomes and outcomes predictors among 155 men and 81 women attending a gender-sensitive substance abuse treatment program. Bivariate analyses indicated women improved more than men in social/family and daily functioning domains, but differences disappeared after controlling for baseline characteristics. Multivariate models predicting treatment outcomes revealed that, across Addiction Severity Index domains, outcomes for men were predicted primarily by mental health and medical conditions, severity of the substance abuse problem, and treatment com- pletion. For women, in addition to treatment completion, outcomes were more likely to be predicted by social, socio-demographic, and life-history characteristics. For abstinence outcomes, women who completed treatment were 9 times as likely to be abstinent at 7-month follow-up as other women; men who completed were 3 times more likely to be abstinent than other men. Women with more severe psychiatric status and those who felt their life was out of control were less likely to be abstinent, as were men who lived alone. Clinicians targeting such factors differentially for men and women may enhance the effectiveness of treatment.