Understanding Women’s Drug Use Following Corrections-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Community Release: A Mixed Methods Social-Ecological Analysis

Abstract

This study provides a mixed methods analysis of factors associated with women’s self-reported abstinence from drug use after release from incarceration, using a social ecological framework. Women who graduated from corrections-based substance use treatment completed interviews twelve months post-release to the community (N = 425). Quantitative findings support employment (an institutional-level factor) as the strongest correlate of abstinence. However, qualitative analysis suggests that women primarily attribute sustained abstinence to individual- or community-level factors. Results indicate that women’s abstinence post-release depends on factors across multiple social ecological levels, but also that women’s subjective understanding of abstinence barriers/facilitators may offer insights for quantitative approaches.

Keywords:

• community reentry
• drug use
• mixed methods
• women

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Between March 2016 – October 2022, 74.4% of women entering jail- or prison-based SUD treatment have consented to participate in the follow-up interview.

2 Of discharges submitted for women who entered jail- or prison-based SUD treatment between March 2016 – October 2022, 65.8% graduated from their program (23.2% were terminated or withdrew voluntarily, 10.3% were released to continue treatment in the community, and 0.7% were discharged on a commuted sentence).

Additional information

Funding

Data utilized in the present study were derived from the Criminal Justice Kentucky Treatment Outcome Study, a project funded by the Kentucky Department of Corrections (527-1600001370). Opinions and views expressed here are those of the authors, and may not reflect those of the Department of Corrections.