Appalachian Women’s Use of Substance Abuse Treatment: Examining the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations

The Gelberg–Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations was applied to understand vulnerable Appalachian women’s (N = 400) utilization of addiction treatment. A secondary data analysis included multiple multivariate analyses. The strongest correlates of treatment utilization included ever injecting drugs (OR = 2.77), limited availability of substance abuse treatment facilities (OR = 2.03), and invalidated violence abuse claims (OR = 2.12). This study contributes theory-driven research to the greater social work addiction literature by confirming that vulnerable domains related to substance abuse treatment utilization warrant unique considerations compared to nonvulnerable domains. Findings also highlight the importance of understanding the unique role that cultural factors play in treatment utilization among Appalachian women. Inferences relevant to clinicians and policymakers are discussed.