This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Illicit drug use

The State of Our Health: A Statewide Health Assessment of Pennsylvania, August 2023 Update
Identifies specific health challenges in Pennsylvania and indicates where the largest improvements can be made. Features sections on social determinants of health, access to care, substance use, chronic diseases, mental health, maternal and infant health, injury and violence prevention, infectious diseases and immunization, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and environmental health. Includes references to rural throughout.
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Department of Health
view details
Factors Associated with Hospitalizations for Co-occurring HIV and Opioid-Related Diagnoses: Evidence from the National Inpatient Sample, 2009–2017
Analyzes the 2009-2017 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to identify trends in co-occurring HIV and opioid-related hospitalizations and their risk factors. Discusses the impact of rurality, sex, race and ethnicity, region, and more on odds of hospitalization.
Author(s): Nima Khodakarami, Marvellous A. Akinlotan, Timothy Callaghan, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 34(2023), 102225
Date: 08/2023
view details
Emergency Department Interventions for Opioid Use Disorder: Overview of the Landscape, Key Components, and Analysis of Five Case Studies
Provides an overview of the evidence base for emergency department (ED)-based programs to address and treat opioid use disorders (OUD). Describes factors that motivated the development of these programs, how they are structured and financed, and barriers and facilitators to ED-based OUD treatment. Features case studies of five ED-based programs, including Marshall Medical Center in rural California.
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Brandeis University, HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Use of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Among Adults With Past-Year Opioid Use Disorder in the US, 2021
Evaluated 47,291 adults using the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to determine whether rates of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) use changed following implementation of COVID-19 pandemic policies intended to increase availability. Discusses various demographics, telehealth, and metro versus nonmetro residence.
Author(s): Christopher M. Jones, Beth Han, Grant T. Baldwin, Emily B. Einstein, Wilson M. Compton
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(8)
Date: 08/2023
view details
Empowering Native Families: A Youth Cannabis Prevention Toolkit for Native American Parents
Report provides guidance for American Indian and Alaska Native communities on cannabis use among children and teens. Discusses the prevalence of cannabis use by native youth and highlights strategies for addressing it. Provides links to additional resources.
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: Mountain Plains Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network
view details
KFF Tracking Poll July 2023: Substance Use Crisis And Accessing Treatment
Provides results of a poll focused on the impact of substance use on American families, such as experiences with addiction, social and mental health impacts of substance use, and potential outcomes of substance use such as homelessness or need for medical care. Includes information specific to opioid use with results categorized by community type, including urban, suburban, and rural.
Author(s): Grace Sparks, Alex Montero, Ashley Kirzinger, Isabelle Valdes, Liz Hamel
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Leveraging Policy Changes Made in Response to COVID-19 to Advance Telehealth and Novel Treatment Approaches for People Who Use Opioids: Qualitative Perspective from Two Rural North Carolina Communities
Results of interviews with 10 providers of healthcare and supportive services for people who use opioids in rural counties in North Carolina. Discusses topics including COVID-19's influence on telehealth, models for opioid treatment delivery in rural areas, and common barriers to service access. Identifies strategies for facilitating services in rural areas, including expanded telehealth access and implementation of other service delivery models.
Author(s): Hillary Chen, Brandon A. Knettel, Lisa Macon Harrison, et al.
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 84(5), 54-60
Date: 07/2023
view details
Addressing the Opioid Crisis: A Look at the Evolving Landscape of Federal OUD Treatment Policies
Provides an overview of five federal policies that impacted the provision of opioid use disorder (OUD) treatments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Covers regulations related to buprenorphine medication, methadone dispensing programs, overdose prevention and reversal methods, and leveraging Medicaid for pre- and post-release from prison OUD treatment services. Discusses how state laws may limit federal efforts.
Author(s): Heather Saunders, Nirmita Panchal
Date: 07/2023
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Changes in Buprenorphine Visits in Frontier and Remote Locations: Effects of the SARS-COV-2 Pandemic
Evaluated patient appointments offering buprenorphine prescriptions in the 55 weeks before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to determine the impact of the pandemic and pandemic-era policies on buprenorphine access for frontier residents in the Great Plains region.
Author(s): Lisa M. McFadden
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, 7, 100155
Date: 06/2023
view details
Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Rural Versus Urban Veterans Health Administration Facilities
Explores rural veterans' access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) via the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system. Highlights VHA efforts to expand access to MOUD within VHA facilities and aims to identify access levels for rural veterans via the VA's Community Care program. Breaks down data by type of MOUD and by rural or urban location.
Author(s): Jessica J. Wyse, Sarah Shull, Stephan Lindner, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38(8), 1871-1876
Date: 06/2023
view details