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

Socioenvironmental Risk Factors for Adolescent Marijuana Use in a United States-Mexico Border Community
Reports on a study of predominantly Hispanic high school students in a rural border community, examining community and immigration-related stress, normalized drug trafficking, and negative perceptions of their neighborhood. Discusses the link between these socioenvironmental risk factors and tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use, as well as implications for health promotion and public health practitioners.
Author(s): Elizabeth Salerno Valdez, Luis Valdez, Josephine Korchmaros, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Health Promotion, 35(1), 20-27
Date: 01/2021
view details
Rural Emergency Medical Service Providers Perceptions on the Causes of and Solutions to the Opioid Crisis: A Qualitative Assessment
Study examining the perspectives of rural emergency medical service (EMS) providers on key issues related to the opioid crisis, including prescription, ease of access to opioids, socioeconomic vulnerability, mental health, and lack of alternative treatment options. Discusses qualitative data taken from 123 surveys addressing perceived causes and solutions to the crisis.
Author(s): Heather Blue, Ashley Dahly, Susan Chhen, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care and Community Health, 12, 2150132720987715
Date: 01/2021
view details
Harm Reduction and Adaptations Among PWUD in Rural Oregon During COVID-19
Presents a study on harm reduction practices during the COVID-19 pandemic for people who use drugs (PWUDs) in rural Oregon. Bases findings on interviews with PWUDs in 5 rural counties. Breaks down data by sex, race, and drugs used. Discusses the effect of COVID-19 on syringe service programs in rural areas.
Author(s): Andrew Seaman, Gillian Leichtling, Erin Stack, et al.
Citation: AIDS and Behavior, 25(5), 1331–1339
Date: 01/2021
view details
Patient Satisfaction with Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment via Telemedicine: Brief Literature Review and Development of a New Assessment
Study assessing patient satisfaction with telemedicine-delivered medications for opioid use disorder (tMOUD). Discusses barriers to delivery of medications for opioid use disorder in rural areas. Offers a literature review and pilot survey data from 65 patients at a treatment clinic on Maryland's Eastern Shore, addressing future directions for telemedicine use in opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment programs.
Author(s): Thomas O. Cole, Darlene Robinson, Andrea Kelley-Freeman, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 557275
Date: 01/2021
view details
Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder May Reduce Substantiated Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect
Highlights a study on the correlation between opioid use disorder (OUD) and child maltreatment. Specifically, the effect buprenorphine treatment for OUD has on rates of maltreatment. Discusses challenges and considerations for rural areas.
Author(s): Robin Ghertner, Mir M. Ali
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
COVID-19 During the Opioid Epidemic – Exacerbation of Stigma and Vulnerabilities
Explores how the lack of healthcare infrastructure in rural areas and the COVID-19 pandemic create particular challenges for people who use drugs (PWUDs). Discusses the stigma of seeking care during a pandemic and the difficulty of accessing living resources, among other issues affecting PWUDs in rural areas.
Author(s): Wiley D. Jenkins, Rebecca Bolinski, John Bresett, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 172-174
Date: 01/2021
view details
A Primary Care Response to COVID‐19 for Patients with an Opioid Use Disorder
Discusses the challenges of treating patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights decisions made by primary care physicians regarding harm reduction related to COVID-19 that may have detrimental effects for OUD patient.
Author(s): Courtenay Gilmore Wilson, Melinda Ramage, E. Blake Fagan
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 169-171
Date: 01/2021
view details
Treating a Public Health Crisis for Rural Moms – A Comparative Analysis of Four Rural States Addressing Maternal Opioid Misuse with Medicaid Innovation Models
Discusses how four states - Colorado, Indiana, Maine, and Missouri - have used the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) model to address maternal opioid use disorders among rural Medicaid beneficiaries. Compares different approaches taken by each state, including benefit eligibility, health insurance payers and health systems partnerships, and telehealth utilization.
Author(s): Jason Semprini
Citation: Online Journal of Rural Research & Policy, 16(2)
Date: 2021
view details
Exploring the Role of Health Centers in Providing Medication-assisted Treatment
Examines the geographic areas that are most dependent on health centers for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder. Compares statistics on DATA-waived providers and health centers with MAT patients across metropolitan, non-metropolitan, and rural health centers.
Date: 2021
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
view details
Voices From the Field: A Qualitative Study of the Challenges and Promising Practices of Rural Public Health in Addressing HIV and Hepatitis C
Examines rural vulnerability to HIV and hepatitis C for people who inject drugs. Presents findings from interviews with 36 public health professionals from rural states, addressing funding limitations, staffing, public health infrastructure challenges, public health initiatives, and community education programs.
Author(s): Martha Elbaum Williamson, Karen B. Pearson, Amanda R. Burgess, Jennifer D. Lenardson, Erika C. Ziller
Citation: Journal of Health and Human Services Administration, 44(2), 114-136
Date: 2021
view details