The Relationship Between Substance Use, Suicidality, and Access to Care Among Women Veterans: A Secondary Analysis of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Survey on Drug Use and HealthKameg, Brayden (2024) The Relationship Between Substance Use, Suicidality, and Access to Care Among Women Veterans: A Secondary Analysis of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished)
AbstractWomen military Veterans represent a growing population with unique healthcare needs. Women Veterans are at risk for adverse mental health outcomes, including the development of substance use disorders, and are also at risk for suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts. Further, women Veterans may face gender-specific barriers to mental health care. Utilizing data from the 2015-2019 and 2021 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health, this dissertation examines rates of substance use, specifically opioid, cannabis, and stimulants, and explores the relationship between substance use, suicidality, and access to substance use and mental health treatment among women Veterans. The first paper within this dissertation describes rates of opioid, cannabis, and stimulant use and use disorders among women Veterans, while drawing comparisons between women non-Veterans and men Veterans. The second paper within this dissertation examines the association between suicidality, including suicidal ideation, attempts, or plans, and substance use. This paper also examines whether the relationship between suicidality and substance use is moderated by access to substance use treatment. The third paper within this dissertation explores barriers to accessing substance use disorder treatment among women Veterans and explores how these barriers might differ compared to women non-Veterans and men Veterans. The key findings of this dissertation include that women Veterans are more likely to use cannabis than both women non-Veterans and men Veterans, but less likely to develop a cannabis use disorder. Women Veterans were also more likely to be prescribed opioids and to use non-prescribed prescription opioids but were not at increased risk for the development of an opioid use disorder. Non-prescribed prescription opioid use increased the odds of suicidal ideation among women Veterans, while lifetime cannabis use increased the odds of suicide plans among women Veterans. Women Veterans were more likely to report stigma-related barriers to accessing mental health treatment compared to both women non-Veterans and men Veterans. These dissertation findings contribute to what is known about substance use, suicidality, and access to care among women Veterans, and will help to inform the development of future interventions geared towards improving care for women Veterans. Share
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