Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Substance use and misuse
The Rural and Urban Supply of Clinicians With a DEA Waiver to Prescribe Buprenorphine in 2022 Prior to the Elimination of the Waiver Requirement
Report explores the differences in rates of clinicians with DEA waivers to prescribe buprenorphine in 2022 in rural versus urban counties. Highlights the rural gaps in access to buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder prior to the elimination of the DEA waiver requirement in 2023. Provides rural, urban, and regional comparisons.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Report explores the differences in rates of clinicians with DEA waivers to prescribe buprenorphine in 2022 in rural versus urban counties. Highlights the rural gaps in access to buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder prior to the elimination of the DEA waiver requirement in 2023. Provides rural, urban, and regional comparisons.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Maternal Mortality in Indiana: Contributing Factors and Policy Recommendations
Discusses causes of maternal mortality and related data in Indiana and the U.S. at large. Includes information on disparities with a focus on rural areas, demographics, and access to maternal health services. Provides county-level map of Indiana showing full, moderate, low, or no access to maternity care. Explores potential solutions to maternal mortality, such as co-location of maternal and behavioral healthcare, substance use disorder (SUD) support, mental health support, and more.
Author(s): Tierra Brooks, Lee Ruess, Kristi Schultz, Elizabeth Thuranira
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana University Public Policy Institute
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Discusses causes of maternal mortality and related data in Indiana and the U.S. at large. Includes information on disparities with a focus on rural areas, demographics, and access to maternal health services. Provides county-level map of Indiana showing full, moderate, low, or no access to maternity care. Explores potential solutions to maternal mortality, such as co-location of maternal and behavioral healthcare, substance use disorder (SUD) support, mental health support, and more.
Author(s): Tierra Brooks, Lee Ruess, Kristi Schultz, Elizabeth Thuranira
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana University Public Policy Institute
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Synthetic Opioid and Stimulant Co-Involved Overdose Deaths by Occupation and Industry — United States, 2022
Examines occupations and industries with higher percentages of psychostimulant involvement in synthetic opioid overdose deaths. Includes information on occupations such as mining and farming, fishing, and forestry that are more common in rural areas.
Author(s): Eric W. Lundstrom, Alexandria Macmadu, Andrea L. Steege, Matthew Groenewold
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(10), 173–178
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Examines occupations and industries with higher percentages of psychostimulant involvement in synthetic opioid overdose deaths. Includes information on occupations such as mining and farming, fishing, and forestry that are more common in rural areas.
Author(s): Eric W. Lundstrom, Alexandria Macmadu, Andrea L. Steege, Matthew Groenewold
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(10), 173–178
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Enhancing Rural Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of issues related to opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural areas. Discusses access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), MOUD workforce, telehealth to support access to MOUD, and Medicaid 1115 demonstrations that address OUD. Offers policy recommendations related to regulatory barriers, reimbursement flexibility, workforce, and service site expansion to increase access to MOUD in rural areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Provides an overview of issues related to opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural areas. Discusses access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), MOUD workforce, telehealth to support access to MOUD, and Medicaid 1115 demonstrations that address OUD. Offers policy recommendations related to regulatory barriers, reimbursement flexibility, workforce, and service site expansion to increase access to MOUD in rural areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Assessing the Needs of Rural Families Affected by the Opioid Crisis: Issue Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Explores the considerations for addressing social determinants of health that influence opioid use disorder (OUD) and the role of community efforts in prevention, treatment, and recovery in rural areas, with a focus on prevention efforts in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Discusses youth and family prevention and well-being; stigma; adverse childhood experience; school-based health centers and youth and family resource centers; access to stable housing, food, and other social supports; the importance of trusted community resources for support; and workforce. Offers recommendations related to reducing stigma and promoting the enhanced utilization of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) to help rural communities address OUD and substance use disorders.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Explores the considerations for addressing social determinants of health that influence opioid use disorder (OUD) and the role of community efforts in prevention, treatment, and recovery in rural areas, with a focus on prevention efforts in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Discusses youth and family prevention and well-being; stigma; adverse childhood experience; school-based health centers and youth and family resource centers; access to stable housing, food, and other social supports; the importance of trusted community resources for support; and workforce. Offers recommendations related to reducing stigma and promoting the enhanced utilization of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) to help rural communities address OUD and substance use disorders.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Opioid Use Among Rural Medicare Beneficiaries
Examines trends in prescription opioid use among Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas, utilizing 2010-2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data. Provides data on receipt of opioid prescriptions among community-dwelling and facility-dwelling beneficiaries, associations between prescribing and chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), and prescriptions exceeding CDC guidelines. Includes rural-urban comparisons.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Karen Pearson, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Examines trends in prescription opioid use among Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas, utilizing 2010-2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data. Provides data on receipt of opioid prescriptions among community-dwelling and facility-dwelling beneficiaries, associations between prescribing and chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), and prescriptions exceeding CDC guidelines. Includes rural-urban comparisons.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Karen Pearson, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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A Perinatal Psychiatry Access Program to Address Rural and Medically Underserved Populations Using Telemedicine
Examines the Moms IMPACTT (Improving Access to Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care Through Telehealth and Tele-mentoring) program in South Carolina, which aims to address perinatal mental health and substance use issues through healthcare partnerships and telemedicine. Provides details and impact of the program, including outreach and engagement with rural and underserved communities.
Author(s): Courtney King, Marie Hayes, Lizmarie Maldonado, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 25, 30
Date: 01/2025
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Examines the Moms IMPACTT (Improving Access to Perinatal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care Through Telehealth and Tele-mentoring) program in South Carolina, which aims to address perinatal mental health and substance use issues through healthcare partnerships and telemedicine. Provides details and impact of the program, including outreach and engagement with rural and underserved communities.
Author(s): Courtney King, Marie Hayes, Lizmarie Maldonado, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 25, 30
Date: 01/2025
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Rural Recovery Innovations
Discusses disparities in behavioral health recovery support services in rural, frontier, and tribal communities. Highlights innovative and promising practices for addressing behavioral health disparities, such as addressing stigma, supporting peer workforce, and addressing social determinants of health, among other measures.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Discusses disparities in behavioral health recovery support services in rural, frontier, and tribal communities. Highlights innovative and promising practices for addressing behavioral health disparities, such as addressing stigma, supporting peer workforce, and addressing social determinants of health, among other measures.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Behavioral Health Diagnosis, Service Utilization, and Spending Among Older Adult Medicare Beneficiaries: A Chartbook
Examines the prevalence of behavioral health (BH) conditions among older adults. Utilizes 2017-2019 Medicare claims and administrative data to examine BH diagnoses, BH service utilization, cost of services, and more. Includes data breakdowns according to diagnosis, substance use, rates of diagnoses and service utilization, service type, rurality, and additional demographic factors.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examines the prevalence of behavioral health (BH) conditions among older adults. Utilizes 2017-2019 Medicare claims and administrative data to examine BH diagnoses, BH service utilization, cost of services, and more. Includes data breakdowns according to diagnosis, substance use, rates of diagnoses and service utilization, service type, rurality, and additional demographic factors.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Patient Centered Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Rural Vermont: A Qualitative Study
Examines patient perspectives on medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment in rural Vermont, utilizing interview data from 15 people who received care at Vermont Hub and Spoke clinics. Highlights patient perspectives on aspects of patient-centered care, and their influences on retention and engagement with treatment.
Author(s): Emily G. Hichborn, Owen B. Murray, Eilis I. Murphy, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 3
Date: 01/2025
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Examines patient perspectives on medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment in rural Vermont, utilizing interview data from 15 people who received care at Vermont Hub and Spoke clinics. Highlights patient perspectives on aspects of patient-centered care, and their influences on retention and engagement with treatment.
Author(s): Emily G. Hichborn, Owen B. Murray, Eilis I. Murphy, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 3
Date: 01/2025
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