Sugarman DE, Levine EA, Wang CL, et al. Development of the Healthy Women Intervention to Increase Women’s Engagement in Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Mixed Methods, User-Centered Design Approach. JMIR Form Res. 2026;10:e85195. doi:10.2196/85195
This mixed methods study aimed to support the development of Healthy Women, a digital intervention designed specifically for women with substance use disorder, particularly opioid use disorder (OUD). The goal was to create an intervention that improves engagement with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) by incorporating the needs and experiences of both women with lived experience and treatment providers. The study followed a three-phase process: formative research, development, and pilot testing. In Phase 1, researchers conducted interviews with 20 women with OUD and 8 treatment providers, as well as conducting a survey of 55 providers. This phase explored barriers to treatment, factors that support recovery, and preferences for digital tools. In Phase 2, the intervention was developed using these insights and refined through expert review and beta testing with five end-users. Phase 3, a pilot study, is currently underway. Key findings highlighted six major themes, including barriers and facilitators to treatment, important topics for care, and the role of technology. Women-specific challenges such as family responsibilities, stigma, abusive relationships, and pregnancy-related motivation were identified as critical factors to address. Providers emphasized the importance of features like peer support, appointment reminders, provider communication, crisis resources, rewards, and coping skills training. The resulting Healthy Women program includes mobile features such as motivational messages, skill-building exercises, weekly check-ins, and access to resources. This study fills a gap in research by focusing broadly on women with OUD rather than specific subgroups. Ongoing testing will evaluate the program’s feasibility, user satisfaction, and effectiveness in improving treatment engagement.