# Improving Access to Treatment for Women with Opioid Use Disorder

> **NIH NIH R01** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · 2020 · $247,819

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Over the past two decades, there has been substantial growth in opioid consumption during pregnancy,
diagnoses of opioid use disorder among pregnant women, and neonatal complications from in utero opioid
exposure. Untreated opioid use disorder among pregnant women leads to poor outcomes for the mother and
infant; however, opioid agonist treatment (OAT) for opioid use disorder is highly effective. OAT improves
treatment retention, reduces relapse risk, reduces HIV-risk, reduces criminal behavior, reduces risk of
overdose death, and improves birth weights. Further, ensuring access to OAT before pregnancy decreases the
likelihood of illicit drug use during critical times of fetal development in the first trimester. Despite evidence that
treatment is effective in mitigating adverse outcomes from opioid use disorder, evidence suggests that the vast
majority of patients in need of treatment do not receive it. We will conduct a rigorous and reproducible field
experiment of randomly-selected outpatient buprenorphine providers and opioid treatment programs in 10
states with a range of state policies. The study will include simulated female patients of reproductive age with
randomly-selected characteristics, including pregnancy status. We aim to determine whether: 1a) pregnant
women with opioid use disorder are more likely to experience difficulty accessing OAT when compared with
non-pregnant women, 1b) insurance type modifies ability to access OAT, and 2) state policies promote or
hinder access to treatment. The proposed study uses a rich array of methodologies and leverages an
experienced research team with expertise in qualitative research, health law, addiction medicine, biostatistics,
health policy, health services research, and economics. Results from this work will have immediate applicability
to state policymakers tasked with using finite resources to combat the opioid epidemic and improve outcomes
for this vulnerable population.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9847958
- **Project number:** 5R01DA045729-03
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Stephen W Patrick
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $247,819
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-04-15 → 2022-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9847958

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9847958, Improving Access to Treatment for Women with Opioid Use Disorder (5R01DA045729-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9847958. Licensed CC0.

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