Ridesharing and substance use disorder treatment

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Transportation Studies
• Substance Use Disorder Treatment

Background:

• Transportation is a significant barrier for individuals seeking ongoing healthcare, particularly for substance use disorder (SUD) treatment.
• Ridesharing services have emerged as a potential solution to address transportation challenges in healthcare access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if ridesharing services, specifically UberX, serve as a viable transportation alternative for individuals requiring ongoing healthcare.
• To estimate the impact of UberX's market entry on admissions to substance use disorder treatment across the U.S.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a quasi-experimental approach combining UberX entry data with the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS).
• Employed event-study analysis to examine trends before and after UberX market entry.
• Conducted robustness checks to ensure the reliability of the findings.

Main Results:

• UberX entry into a Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) showed no significant effect on the total number of SUD treatment admissions.
• A decrease in non-intensive outpatient treatment admissions was observed.
• An increase in intensive outpatient treatment admissions fully offset the decline in non-intensive care.

Conclusions:

• Ridesharing services appear to mitigate transportation barriers, enabling patients to access higher levels of care.
• The findings suggest that UberX facilitates a shift in treatment modality rather than increasing overall treatment utilization.
• Ridesharing can play a role in improving healthcare access for vulnerable populations facing transportation challenges.