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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Illicit drug use

The State of Rural Health in Illinois: Great Challenges and a Path Forward
Provides information and statistics regarding rural health issues in Illinois, including healthcare shortages, opioid mortality rates, childhood abuse and dysfunction, obesity rates, housing, and more. Discusses relevant strategies to address these issues.
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
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Alaska Facts and Figures: 2013-2017 Alaska Resident Drug Overdose Deaths
Describes the number and rate of drug overdose mortality for Alaska residents from 2013 to 2017 by year, gender, race, age group, and public health region.
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Division of Public Health
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Qualitative Case Study of Needle Exchange Programs in the Central Appalachian Region of the United States
Reports on a qualitative study in West Virginia to address barriers and identify supports that may impact the development of needle exchange programs (NEPs) in rural areas of the U.S. Interviews were conducted in West Virginia with program directors, police chiefs, law enforcement members, and people who inject drugs to obtain information on program implementation and operations, and future growth of NEPs.
Author(s): Stephen M. Davis, Danielle Davidov, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson, Keith Zullig, Adam Baus, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 13(10)
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
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Rising Rates of Injection Drug Use Associated Infective Endocarditis in Virginia with Missed Opportunities for Addiction Treatment Referral: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Describes the geographic, clinical trends and characteristics of infective endocarditis related to injection drug use (IDU-IE). Study site serves a large rural area in West Virginia and Virginia. Counties of residence for patient admissions with IDU-IE were identified as rural or urban. Discusses opportunities for improved quality of care for people who inject drugs.
Author(s): Megan E. Gray, Elizabeth T. Rogawski McQuade, W. Michael Scheld, Rebecca A. Dillingham
Citation: BMC Infectious Disease, 18, 532
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
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HRSA's Home Visiting Program: Supporting Families Impacted by Opioid Use and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Resource for MIECHV Awardees
Details a report for HRSA's Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program grantees on providing support to families impacted opioid use disorder (OUD) and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Discusses methods of treatments for newborns with NAS and Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for pregnant women with OUD.
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Life in Rural America
Summarizes the results of a survey of rural adults living in the U.S. Includes survey response data and statistics on a variety of topics such as: drug addiction or abuse and opioids; the economy; health conditions; suicide; and more.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, NPR, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Federal Legislation to Address the Opioid Crisis: Medicaid Provisions in the SUPPORT Act
Brief details the Medicaid provisions in the Substance Use Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act. Discusses provisions aimed at treating substance use disorder(SUD) in rural areas.
Author(s): MaryBeth Musumeci, Jennifer Tolbert
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Characteristics of Prescription Opioid-Impaired and Other Substance-Impaired Drivers in Rural Appalachian Kentucky
Study examining characteristics and behaviors of prescription opioid-impaired drivers in the rural Appalachian region of Kentucky, Makes comparisons with other substance-impaired drivers using data from research interviews with 118 study participants who had been convicted of a DUI in the same county where they lived. Discusses prevalence of substance use, frequency of impaired driving, criminal activity, and mental health for prescription opioid-impaired, other drug-impaired, and alcohol only-impaired drivers.
Author(s): J. Matthew Webster, Megan F. Dickson, Faiyad Mannan, Michele Staton
Citation: Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 59(5), 373-381
Date: 09/2018
Type: Document
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Substance Use Disorder Treatment Policy Recommendations for the State of Indiana: Final Report - September 2018
Assessment of Indiana's treatment system for substance use disorders (SUDs), based on interviews with stakeholder groups, consultation with national experts, focus groups, and a review of public data sets. Includes 6 recommendations in the categories of treatment system transformation, SUD workforce, and underserved populations. Discusses barriers to treatment in rural areas.
Date: 09/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pew Charitable Trusts
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Opioid Crisis: Status of Public Health Emergency Authorities
Examines the effectiveness of public health emergency authorities' response to the opioid crisis. Discusses the different public health emergency authorities selected by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the activities underway to combat the opioid crisis.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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