Risk Factors for Relapse After Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder May Differ by Gender

Men and women may have different risk factors for relapse following treatment for opioid use disorder, a new study suggests. The findings may lead to gender-targeted treatments, the researchers say.

The study followed 1,100 people recovering from opioid use disorder for one year after treatment. Researchers found for women, the biggest risk factors for opioid use relapse were depression, more severe withdrawal and post-traumatic stress disorder, HealthDay reports.

For men, the biggest relapse risk factors included use of multiple substances and a history of conduct disorder.

“These results suggest that women would particularly benefit from treatments that aggressively address withdrawal symptoms with appropriate medications and cognitive-behavioral approaches,” lead author Jordan Davis said in a University of Southern California news release. “In contrast, men would likely benefit most from cognitive-behavioral and mutual-help interventions that directly target substance use behaviors and support the development of pro-social behaviors.”