Women’s Employment Outcomes Following Gender-Sensitive Substance Abuse Treatment

• Author: Ronald Edward Claus,Carlos Roberto Arieira,Robert George Orwin,Zhiqun Tang,Wendy Barnett Kissin
• Date: 01 April 2015
• Published date: 01 April 2015
• DOI: 10.1177/0022042614559945
• Subject Matter: Articles

Journal of Drug Issues

2015, Vol. 45(2) 166 –179

© The Author(s) 2014

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DOI: 10.1177/0022042614559945

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Article

Women’s Employment Outcomes

Following Gender-Sensitive

Substance Abuse Treatment

Wendy Barnett Kissin1, Zhiqun Tang1, Carlos Roberto Arieira2,

Ronald Edward Claus1, and Robert George Orwin1

Abstract

Employment problems are common among low-income, substance abusing women. The

present study links an empirically developed quantitative measure of gender-sensitive (GS)

substance abuse treatment to employment outcomes among substance abusing women (N

= 5,109) treated in 13 mixed-gender intensive inpatient programs (IIPs) in the Washington

State. Hierarchical linear models were used to test the relationship between GS treatment

and subsequent employment. Propensity scores and receipt of public assistance were used to

control for the preexisting differences among women. Men’s employment outcomes were used

to control for potential confounding at the program level. The study found that women treated

in more (vs. less) GS treatment programs were more likely to be employed 12 months after

treatment admission, though not for the hypothesized 24 months. Treatment completion did

not affect the relationship between GS treatment and employment. Findings point to recent

progress in tailoring generic substance abuse treatment to women’s needs.

Keywords

gender-sensitive treatment, substance abuse treatment, women, employment outcomes,

hierarchical linear models, propensity scores

Employment problems among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) are common.

Substance abuse problems can interfere with a person’s ability to find and retain employment and

to be productive on the job (Ginexi, Foss, & Scott, 2003; Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Services Administration [SAMHSA]/Center for Substance Abuse Treatment [CSAT], 2000),

independent of their education (Brown & Riley, 2005). Even a history of substance abuse is often

associated with employment problems well after drug and/or alcohol abstinence has been

achieved, with 34% to 53% of individuals citing the need to address employment problems as a

priority after months or even years of abstinence (Laudet & White, 2010). Yet substance abuse is

but one of a constellation of problems women (and men) with SUDs face that limits their employ-

ment opportunities.

1Westat, Rockville, MD, USA

2Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Corresponding Author:

Wendy Kissin, Westat, 1600 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.

Email: wendykissin@westat.com

559945JODXXX10.1177/0022042614559945Journal of Drug IssuesKissin et al.

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