2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

328446
Gender sensitive predictors of retention in opioid substitution treatment among long-term opioid users


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 5:30 p.m. - 5:50 p.m.

Heather Palis, PhD Candidate, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Kirsten Marchand, PhD Candidate, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Jill Fikowski, MPH Candidate, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Scott Harrison, MA, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Martin Schechter, OBC MD PhD FRSC FCAHS, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Eugenia Oviedo-Joekes, PhD, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background: Research on opioid-dependence indicates that men and women present diverse patterns of drug use, while data on gender differences in treatment outcomes such as retention are less clear. While treatments are widely available, a sub-sample of the most adversely affected men and women are not retained and remain at risk of various harms. Gender considerations are central to understanding their specific needs in order to best support retention.

Methods: Gender Matters was a cross-sectional study of long-term opioid users in the poorest neighbourhood of Vancouver. Participants self-reporting ≥ 28 days of OST in the prior month were considered retained, as per cut points designated in prior studies. Descriptive variables were recorded separately for men (n=94) and women (n=81), and a predictive model of retention was built for each gender using logistic regression.

Results: An identical proportion (54%) of participants were retained among both genders. Multivariable analysis revealed factors significantly associated with retention for men to include less days of illicit activities (AOR: 0.94; 95%CI: 0.90-0.98) and a lower likelihood of living with someone using illicit drugs (AOR: 0.23; 95%CI: 0.07-0.83). For women factors included, higher treatment satisfaction (AOR: 1.26; 95%CI: 1.10-1.46), higher dose (AOR: 6.14; 95%CI: 1.60-23.52), and being a mother (AOR: 5.41; 95%CI: 1.12-26.14).

Conclusions: Despite the same proportion of men and women being retained, predictors of retention differed by gender. Exploring and understanding gender-specific predictors can inform treatment that is tailored to specific patient needs, ultimately improving retention.

Learning Areas:

Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Identify gender sensitive predictors of retention in opioid substitution treatment among long-term opioid dependent men and women.

Keyword(s): Drug Abuse Treatment, Underserved Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a PhD student at the University of British Columbia’s School of Population and Public Health. My research focuses on Gender Matters (GeMa), a Canadian Institutes of Health Research funded study investigating gender sensitive patterns of drug use, treatment access, and victimization among long-term opioid dependent men and women.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4397.0: Societal factors in substance use among women