TY - JOUR
AU - L. A. Holcomb
AU - B. Shealy
AU - K. Eichelberger
AU - K. Cartmell
AU - R. Mayo
A1 - 
AB - OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Although perinatal substance use disorders (PSUDs) are increasingly prevalent among pregnant and postpartum (PPP) individuals, there is limited understanding of physicians’ perspectives on training needs and gaps in PSUD treatment. To reduce the negative impact of SUD on PPPs, identifying critical areas of intervention related to education and awareness for screening and treating PSUDs is critical. This study explored reproductive healthcare professionals’ (RHPs) perspectives on the necessary training to improve care for PPPs with PSUDs. METHODS: This study is an analysis of a cross-sectional survey of RHPs (n = 117). Inductive thematic analysis was conducted on free-text survey responses to identify RHP perspectives on training needs and strategies for improving care for PPP with SUD. Analyses were performed using Atlas.ti V 24.1. RESULTS: Participants were mostly White (77.8%) and female (93.2%) and included a broad sample of RHPs across multiple disciplines. Three primary themes were generated: (1) improving equitable access to evidence-based training, (2) prioritization of an integrated care network, and (3) addressing stigma in how care is delivered. DISCUSSION: The themes elicited from provider responses offer a framework for understanding opportunities to enhance care for PSUDs. Providers emphasized the need for more equitable access to evidence-based training to better equip clinicians to deliver high-quality care. They also described the importance of strengthening integrated care networks through collaboration among multidisciplinary professionals to improve care coordination and patient experiences. Addressing stigma in care delivery was identified as essential for fostering a more supportive treatment environment. These insights reflect provider perspectives and perceived priorities for system-level improvement rather than evaluated outcomes of specific interventions. Future research should examine the effectiveness of existing training and care models and identify strategies to enhance their accessibility and impact.
AD - Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 125 Doughty St., Suite 400, Charleston, SC, 29403, USA. holcomle@musc.edu.; College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, 268 Calhoun St, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Prisma Health Upstate, 890 West Faris Road, Suite 470, Greenville, SC, 29605, USA.; Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, Edwards Hall, Epsilon Zeta Drive, Clemson, SC, 29631, USA.
AN - 41612380
BT - Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy
C5 - Healthcare Disparities; Opioids & Substance Use; Education & Workforce
CP - 1
DA - Jan 29
DO - 10.1186/s13011-025-00692-4
DP - NLM
ET - 20260129
IS - 1
JF - Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy
LA - eng
N2 - OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Although perinatal substance use disorders (PSUDs) are increasingly prevalent among pregnant and postpartum (PPP) individuals, there is limited understanding of physicians’ perspectives on training needs and gaps in PSUD treatment. To reduce the negative impact of SUD on PPPs, identifying critical areas of intervention related to education and awareness for screening and treating PSUDs is critical. This study explored reproductive healthcare professionals’ (RHPs) perspectives on the necessary training to improve care for PPPs with PSUDs. METHODS: This study is an analysis of a cross-sectional survey of RHPs (n = 117). Inductive thematic analysis was conducted on free-text survey responses to identify RHP perspectives on training needs and strategies for improving care for PPP with SUD. Analyses were performed using Atlas.ti V 24.1. RESULTS: Participants were mostly White (77.8%) and female (93.2%) and included a broad sample of RHPs across multiple disciplines. Three primary themes were generated: (1) improving equitable access to evidence-based training, (2) prioritization of an integrated care network, and (3) addressing stigma in how care is delivered. DISCUSSION: The themes elicited from provider responses offer a framework for understanding opportunities to enhance care for PSUDs. Providers emphasized the need for more equitable access to evidence-based training to better equip clinicians to deliver high-quality care. They also described the importance of strengthening integrated care networks through collaboration among multidisciplinary professionals to improve care coordination and patient experiences. Addressing stigma in care delivery was identified as essential for fostering a more supportive treatment environment. These insights reflect provider perspectives and perceived priorities for system-level improvement rather than evaluated outcomes of specific interventions. Future research should examine the effectiveness of existing training and care models and identify strategies to enhance their accessibility and impact.
PY - 2026
SN - 1747-597x
SP - 5
ST - Strengthening the standard of care for perinatal substance use disorders: reproductive health provider perspectives on training, integration, and system improvements
T1 - Strengthening the standard of care for perinatal substance use disorders: reproductive health provider perspectives on training, integration, and system improvements
T2 - Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy
TI - Strengthening the standard of care for perinatal substance use disorders: reproductive health provider perspectives on training, integration, and system improvements
U1 - Healthcare Disparities; Opioids & Substance Use; Education & Workforce
U3 - 10.1186/s13011-025-00692-4
VL - 21
VO - 1747-597x
Y1 - 2026
ER -