Gender Differences in the Economic Impacts of Clients Before, During and After Substance Abuse Treatment (From Women and Substance Abuse: Gender Transparency, P 251-269, 1998, Sally J. Stevens and Harry K. Wexler, eds. -- See NCJ-180777)

• NCJ Number: 180782
• Author(s): Henrick Harwood B.A.; Douglas Fountain MPA; Sharon Carothers M.A.; Dean Gerstein Ph.D.; Robert Johnson M.S.
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 19 pages
• Sale Source: Haworth Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DCC

Annotation

Data from a representative sample of 1,825 participants in five treatment modalities in the publicly supported California drug treatment system formed the basis of an analysis of gender differences in drug treatment, using an economic framework to compare outcomes.

Abstract

Results indicated that treatment of women is strongly cost-beneficial on the average. However, the cost-benefit ratios are materially lower among women than among men in some treatment modalities. Women imposed less economic burden than men in the year before treatment, mostly due to less criminal involvement. Women were also somewhat more likely to be seen in outpatient settings than in 24-hour care settings (residential and social model programs). Women also had significantly longer lengths of stay in non-methadone outpatient treatment, but only modestly different lengths of stay in other types of treatment. Economic savings from the treatment of men and women were 4-12 times greater than the cost of treatment, depending on the type of treatment setting studies. However, savings from treatment were estimated at 4.3 times the cost of treatment for women and 9.3 times the cost of treatment for men. Moreover, total savings during treatment and in the year following treatment exceeded costs for both men and women, regardless of the treatment setting. Tables, figures, and 19 references (Author abstract modified)