Gender issues are a hot topic in today’s culture, whether its pay inequality, sexual harassment or gender identity, everyone has an opinion, and the conversations can get heated. It’s no surprise to learn that gender affects employment opportunities, especially in certain male-dominated fields, but how does the type of substance abuse treatment that women get factor into the equation? Could it possibly play a role in future employment opportunities or outcomes?
A new study aims to shed some light.
It’s universally understood that employment problems are common among low-income, substance abusing women. Those with two strikes already against them (poverty and an extra X chromosome) are certainly going to find their earning potential and opportunities further diminished by adding substance abuse to the mix. Gender also impacts women above the poverty level when it comes the career. Even with that information, the scientific research led to some surprising conclusions and some promising stats for any women hoping to turn their professional lives around post-treatment.
A recent study links an empirically developed quantitative measure of gender-sensitive substance abuse treatment to employment outcomes among substance abusing women treated in 13 mixed-gender intensive inpatient programs (IIPs) in Washington State. Hierarchical linear models were used to test the relationship between gender-sensitive treatment and subsequent employment. Propensity scores and receipt of public assistance were used to control for the preexisting differences among women. To control for potential confounding at the program level, men’s employment outcomes were used.
This new focus on gender-specific or gender-sensitive treatment is having an impact in ways that researchers may not have predicted by benefiting female participants long after the program is over. So what exactly did the study find? Women treated in more gender-sensitive treatment programs were more likely to be employed 12 months after treatment admission. Not surprisingly, treatment completion also factored into the equation. Researchers believe the findings point to recent progress in tailoring generic substance abuse treatment to women’s needs and credit this with the boost in employment success.
The research, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), produced statistics that back up the truth that women who receive treatment in gender-sensitive programs are more likely to be employed a year after treatment admission than women in more traditional treatment programs. Additionally, (and not surprisingly), women who complete treatment have greater odds of being employed than women not completing treatment. To arrive at these findings, the study analyzed data from 5,109 women admitted to 13 mixed-gender intensive inpatient programs in Washington State.
It’s important to note that this does not mean that women need to attend a treatment program that is completely segregated by sex. In fact, there are benefits to having portions of treatment remain co-ed, allowing participants to experience a variety of perspectives offered by both sexes. Instead, it’s important to simply address the specific and unique issues women face in life in general, in recovery and in relationships to better prepare them for success post-treatment.
This research is of particular importance since women with substance abuse disorders have reported barriers to employment. Difficulty obtaining and maintaining gainful employment in recovery is a factor that can contribute to relapse, making this issue even more critical.
According to the study, while completion rates are an indicator of long-term success, completion rates didn’t seem to differ between gender-sensitive programs and those not accounting for gender. In other words, women weren’t more likely to complete treatment because gender was addressed in their treatment, but they did benefit in other ways, particularly when it came to long-term employment outcomes.
Many quality co-ed inpatient treatment programs offer gender-specific programming as part of their comprehensive schedule. They also address additional communities or with targeted needs by providing groups for LGBT individuals, teens, professionals and others. These sorts of specialized groups allow individuals to discuss feelings and issues specific to their unique situations and receive valuable insight and feedback that benefits them well into their recovery process.
The findings of this NIDA study were published in an online article in the December 4, 2014 issue of Journal of Drug Issues.
If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction and a co-occurring disorder, call us today. We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can provide information on treatment programs, help with insurance and answer questions about the treatment process.