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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Alcohol use

Geographic and Socioeconomic Landscape of Veterans With Head and Neck Cancer
Explores the geographic and socioeconomic factors that correlate with the higher rates and worse outcomes for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas among veterans compared to civilians. Breaks down data by socioeconomic factors, such as marital status, unemployment, and service connection, among other factors, as well as rurality, travel distance, and drive time.
Author(s): Kristen L. Zayan, Jennifer L. McCoy, Monique Y. Boudreaux-Kelly, et al.
Citation: Head & Neck, 47(10), 2845-2855
Date: 10/2025
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Binge Alcohol Use in the Past Month
Report using 2022-2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data to highlight binge alcohol in the previous month use among adults and youth aged 12 to 17. Appendix includes demographic and geographic characteristics of survey participants including 5 levels of urbanization by county.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2023 Data: Alcohol-Impaired Driving
National data on traffic crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers. Features statistics with breakdowns including road conditions, month, time of day, state, and rural or urban location.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Impact of Alcohol Use Disorder on Inpatient Hospitalizations: A Comparison of Outcomes Between Urban and Rural Veterans Affairs Hospitals
Analyzes Veterans Health Administration hospital admissions data from 2016 to 2020 to determine the burden of alcohol use disorder on 129 rural and urban hospitals. Data shows break down of patient characteristics, hospital characteristics, and admissions characteristics. Discusses mortality and the potential impact of COVID-19.
Author(s): James Willey, Peter Kaboli, Andrea Holcombe, et al.
Citation: Journal of Hospital Medicine, 20(5), 463-470
Date: 05/2025
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Rural–Urban Differences in Substance Use During Pregnancy
Examines perinatal substance use in rural and urban populations. Utilizes 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data to analyze 3,499 pregnant women according to rural, small urban, and large urban location, as well as by demographic variables, health status, and type of substance use.
Author(s): Emma Kathryn Boswell, Olivia M. Hinds, Cassie Odahowski, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 03/2025
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Cancer-Related Health Behaviors During the COVID 19 Pandemic in Geographically Diverse Samples Across the US
Examines cancer-related health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic via a June 2020-March 2021 survey of 21,911 people conducted through eight cancer centers. Includes demographic data, including rural-urban comparisons, on changes in physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, smoking and tobacco use, and alcohol consumption.
Author(s): Breanna B. Greteman, Allison Cole, Mary E. Charlton, et al.
Citation: BMC Cancer, 25, 50
Date: 01/2025
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Substance Use Prevalence Among Indiana Youth
Provides 2024 information on substance use among youth in Indiana, with data on 30-day use rates, highest use substances, monthly use of electronic vapor products and other substances, and prevalence rates of rural student substance use.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Indiana Youth Institute
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Sobering Statistics: Acceleration of Alcohol-Attributable Deaths Across the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Provides information on alcohol use and drinking guidelines. Includes data on alcohol-attributable deaths in the U.S. per 100,00 people from 2006-2022, with breakdowns by state, race/ethnicity, sex, age, and large metro, small/medium metro, or nonmetro location.
Author(s): Andrea Stewart, Colin Planalp, Tyler Winkelman
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: State Health Access Data Assistance Center
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Perceptions of Substance Use Disorder in Rural Areas: How the Brain Disease Model Impacts Public Stigma
Presents a study on substance use disorder (SUD) stigma in rural communities by comparing the results from a 2020 study to a survey conducted in 2023. Explores rural perceptions in SUD as a legitimate illness and discusses perceptions of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and SUD treatment and recovery.
Author(s): Erin E. Miller, Sarah Schweitzer, Patricia Ahmed, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 24, 3531
Date: 12/2024
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Improving Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment for Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Diverse, Low-Resourced Primary Care Clinics
Examines primary care clinics participating in a practice-facilitator led implementation study aimed at improving screening brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) as well as medication-assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder (MAUD). Analyzes 66 clinics located in the northwestern U.S. from 2019-2022 and the supportive activities they used to improve SBIRT and MAUD. Includes commentary on rural and low-resourced primary care clinics.
Author(s): Melinda M. Davis, Jennifer Coury, Victoria Sanchez, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 1384
Date: 11/2024
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