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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Illicit drug use

Geographic Disparities Affect Access to Buprenorphine Services for Opioid Use Disorder
Results of a national study to determine the patient capacity of healthcare providers who received waivers to prescribe buprenorphine and the extent to which they were located in rural or urban areas with high rates of opioid abuse. Features 2018 county-level maps showing rates of patient capacity and counties with high need for treatment services.
Author(s): Christi A. Grimm
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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New Mexico Substance Use Disorder Treatment Gap Analysis
An overview of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services available in the state by county. Includes alcohol-related death rates and drug overdose death rates. Presents estimates of the people living with SUD who are in treatment or are in need of treatment. Offers recommendations for additional services needed to maximize and address the current gaps in services.
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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A Public Health Emergency: State Efforts to Curb the Opioid Crisis
Presents the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the outcomes of public health efforts to combat the opioid crisis. Features testimony from representatives of the Rhode Island Department of Health, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, and the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs.
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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Rural Community Action Guide: Building Stronger, Healthy, Drug-Free Rural Communities
Provides an overview of challenges rural communities face related to substance use disorder (SUD), including prescription opioid misuse. Identifies action steps rural communities can take related to prevention, treatment, recovery, and SUD-related issues such as stigma, transportation barriers, and lack of employment opportunities. Features programs that are working to address these issues in rural communities.
Additional links: Promising Practices Supplement
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organization: Office of National Drug Control Policy
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Challenges in Providing Substance Use Disorder Treatment to Child Welfare Clients in Rural Communities
Provides an overview of the unique challenges rural communities face serving parents with substance abuse issues, including provider shortages, limited access to health insurance, transportation and technological barriers, and lack of routine cross-systems collaboration with the child welfare system. Offers strategies to overcome these challenges in rural communities.
Author(s): Elizabeth Clary, Christina Ribar, Elizabeth Weigensberg
Date: 01/2020
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica
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Views of Rural US Adults About Health and Economic Concerns
Results of phone surveys of 1705 rural adults, conducted in 2018 and 2019. Explores their views on the most important problems facing their communities, including healthcare access and costs, suicide, and opioid or other drug abuse.
Author(s): Mary G. Findling, Robert J. Blendon, John M. Benson, Justin M. Sayde, Carolyn E. Miller
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(1)
Date: 01/2020
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Does a Rural Community-Based Intervention Improve Knowledge and Attitudes of Opioid Use Disorder and Medication-Assisted Treatment? A Report From the IT MATTTRs Study
Details a study on the effect of a community-based intervention on a rural Colorado community's perception and knowledge of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD). Bases findings on surveys of community members both before and after the intervention. Breaks down participant data by age, race, and affiliation to the study, among other measures.
Author(s): Kristen Curcija, Linda Zittleman, Mary Fisher, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(1), 120-128
Date: 2020
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Annual Surveillance Report of Drug-Related Risks and Outcomes, 2019
Summarizes latest information on opioid prescribing, drug use, and overdose mortality from 2018-2019. Features statistics with breakdowns by large metropolitan, small metropolitan, non-metropolitan urbanized, non-metropolitan less urbanized, and completely rural. Highlights notable differences in the report from 2018 to 2019.
Additional links: Highlights
Date: 2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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The Opioid Crisis and the Hispanic/Latino Population: An Urgent Issue
Report highlights the opioid crisis in Hispanic/Latino populations. Details rates of illicit opioid use and prescription drug misuse, as well as overdose and death rates. Discusses measures taken in to provide treatment and prevention in Latino communities, including in rural and border areas.
Date: 2020
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Stem the Tide: Opioid Stewardship Measurement Implementation Guide
Identifies best practices for hospitals and health systems to use data to improve opioid stewardship. Addresses six elements that can support facilities through implementing a data-driven opioid stewardship program. Provides a list of quality improvement measures for hospitals and health systems to track progress. Highlights a consortium of providers serving rural communities across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin focused on access to treatment and interventions that address social determinants of health.
Date: 2020
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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