Impact of COVID-19 on drug use and treatment-seeking in females with substance use disorder in Southern Arizona: An exploratory study in a female-only outpatient drug treatment program

This study explored how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted drug-use and treatment-seeking for females in an outpatient treatment program. The authors adapted and administered a COVID-19 stress scale to 15 females receiving outpatient treatment in a gender-specific clinic in Southern Arizona. Results indicate ambivalence about virtual recovery practices, although access to treatment was not greatly affected. Women felt more stressed and disconnected but reported more time to focus on themselves during the pandemic. Notably, the data indicated a positive increase in sobriety during the pandemic in this group of women. Results of this research suggest the pandemic served as a drug-use disruptor of significant duration, which provided the impetus for self-reflection leading to a desire to seek treatment despite increased relapse determinants. This study is clinically relevant for informing intervention strategies at known points of drug-use disruption, such as emergency departments, initial incarceration for nonviolent drug-related arrests, and first-responder interactions.