Factors affecting waiting times to enter opioid use disorder treatment in the United States with a particular focus on potential biological sex disparity.

AIM

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is the problematic use of licit or illicit opioids. Thus far, the literature on biological sex differences in accessing treatment is scarce. Hence, we hypothesize that biological sex has a moderating effect on OUD treatment accessibility. We aim to explore biological sex differences in treatment disparities and its role in wait time to enter OUD treatment.

METHOD

Using the 2018 Treatment Episode Data Set Discharge, the national sample representative of OUD patients in the substance use disorder treatment facilities within the 50 states of the United States was 382,547. Univariate and multivariable logistic analysis of the independent variables and other covariates with the dependent variables were explored to estimate the adjusted odds relationship.

RESULTS

Medications for OUD (MOUD) use among males was significantly different, with waiting 1-7 days (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.300, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.208-1.399) and >7 days (AOR = 0.676, 95% CI = 0.600-0.763) to enter OUD treatment compared to waiting less than a day. For females, MOUD was significantly different, with waiting 1-7 days (AOR = 1.366, 95% CI = 1.244-1.499) and >7 days (AOR = 0.834, 95% CI = 0.721-0.965) to enter OUD treatment compared to waiting less than a day.

CONCLUSION

Both females and males who received MOUD had lower odds of waiting >7 days to enter treatment than those who received no MOUD. The findings of this study will ensure equity in allocating resources to both males and females.