Addiction and Depression: Unmet Treatment Needs Among Reproductive Age Women

To describe the current unmet major depression and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment needs among reproductive age women METHODS: Data from the 2007 to 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were analyzed to determine proportions of women ages 18 to 44 years with unmet treatment need for depression and SUD. Logistic regression determined factors associated with receiving past year SUD and major depression treatment among those in need.

Only 9.2% of women with past year SUD treatment need received treatment (95% CI 8.3-10.1%) compared to 60.7% for those in need of depression treatment (95% CI 59.5-62.0%). Over time, treatment receipt for depression increased significantly (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.15-1.67) but not for substance use disorders (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.69-1.45). Neither pregnant nor parenting women were more likely to receive treatment for SUD or depression. Young and racial/ethnically minority women were less likely to receive needed behavioral health treatment for either condition.

Depression and SUD treatment need are common among women. However, treatment receipt differs between these behavioral health conditions.