Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Receipt Among Women Veterans with a Substance Use Disorder, 2015-2019

Women Veterans who experience mental health and substance use disorders (SUDs) are at risk for a variety of health and psychosocial disparities.

This study analyzed data from the 2015-2019 versions of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted by the SAMHSA.

Approximately 37% of women Veterans with a past-year SUD received outpatient mental health treatment, compared to 26% of women non-Veterans (OR = 1.65, [1.04-2.62], p = 0.014) and 22.8% of men Veterans (OR = 1.96, [1.19-3.24], p = 0.004). However, 38% of women Veterans with SUD reported an inability to access mental health treatment within the past year, compared to 19% of men Veterans (OR = 2.64, [1.59-4.38], p < 0.001). Approximately 67% of women Veterans reported stigma-related barriers to mental health treatment access compared to 38% and 41% of women non-Veterans (OR = 3.23, [1.51-6.95], p < 0.001) and men-Veterans (OR = 2.92, [1.23 - 6.94], p = 0.007).

While women Veterans with SUD were more likely to access outpatient mental health treatment and were more likely to be prescribed psychotropic medication than their counterparts, they were also more likely to report an inability to access mental health treatment within the last year.