Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas.
2021-2024 NSDUH Data Brief: Trends in Substance Use among Young Adults
Report details the substance use trends for young adults from 2021 to 2024 based on the findings from the Nation Survey on Drug Use and Health. Identifies substance use patterns and breaks down data by age, substance used, and whether participants resided in a large or small metropolitan or nonmetro county.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report details the substance use trends for young adults from 2021 to 2024 based on the findings from the Nation Survey on Drug Use and Health. Identifies substance use patterns and breaks down data by age, substance used, and whether participants resided in a large or small metropolitan or nonmetro county.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Examining Rural Disparities in Cigarette Smoking Among U.S. Women by Chronological Age: 2002–2022
Presents a study on rural disparities in rates of cigarette smoking among women from 2002 to 2022. Draws data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and examines correlative factors, such as age, educational attainment, and income, among others.
Author(s): Stephen T. Higgins, Tyler G. Erath, Fang Fang Chen, Michael J. DeSarno
Citation: Preventive Medicine, 201, 108359
Date: 12/2025
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Presents a study on rural disparities in rates of cigarette smoking among women from 2002 to 2022. Draws data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and examines correlative factors, such as age, educational attainment, and income, among others.
Author(s): Stephen T. Higgins, Tyler G. Erath, Fang Fang Chen, Michael J. DeSarno
Citation: Preventive Medicine, 201, 108359
Date: 12/2025
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2024 NSDUH Data Brief: Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Among Adults
Report examines generalized anxiety disorder in American adults through data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Breaks down data by demographic characteristics, such as age, sex, education level, co-occurring substance use, and employment, as well as geographic and socioeconomic characteristics, such as geographic region, health insurance, rurality, and federal poverty level.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report examines generalized anxiety disorder in American adults through data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Breaks down data by demographic characteristics, such as age, sex, education level, co-occurring substance use, and employment, as well as geographic and socioeconomic characteristics, such as geographic region, health insurance, rurality, and federal poverty level.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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County-Level Vulnerability Is Associated With Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Among Rural Suicide Decedents: A National Multi-Year Cross-Sectional Study
Presents a study on the relationship between individual- and county-level factors that correlate with rural suicide decedents who receive mental health and substance use dependence treatment. Breaks down data by county-level factors, such as number of mental health providers, number of primary care providers, and rate of social associations, among others, as well as individual characteristics, such as age, sex, education, and marital status, among others.
Author(s): J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Victor A. Soupene, Jennifer Van Tiem, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70094
Date: 11/2025
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Presents a study on the relationship between individual- and county-level factors that correlate with rural suicide decedents who receive mental health and substance use dependence treatment. Breaks down data by county-level factors, such as number of mental health providers, number of primary care providers, and rate of social associations, among others, as well as individual characteristics, such as age, sex, education, and marital status, among others.
Author(s): J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Victor A. Soupene, Jennifer Van Tiem, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70094
Date: 11/2025
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How States Can Boost Behavioral Health Services in Rural Communities
Explores ways state officials can utilize federal funds to increase mental health and substance use treatment for rural communities. Highlights strategies for increasing access to behavioral health services in rural communities that can be funded through the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program.
Author(s): Alexandra Duncan, Kristen Mizzi Angelone
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pew Research Center
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Explores ways state officials can utilize federal funds to increase mental health and substance use treatment for rural communities. Highlights strategies for increasing access to behavioral health services in rural communities that can be funded through the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program.
Author(s): Alexandra Duncan, Kristen Mizzi Angelone
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pew Research Center
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The ELEVATE Maternal Health Center of Excellence: A Program to Reduce Maternal Morbidity From Substance Use Disorder in Utah
Presents a study detailing the efforts of the ELEVATE Maternal Health Center of Excellence to address mental health and substance use disorders (SUD) among pregnant and postpartum women in rural and American Indian and Alaska Native communities in Utah. Discusses the role mental health disorders and SUD play in contributing to maternal deaths and highlights the way ELEVATE interventions aim to improve care and reduce maternal mortality.
Author(s): Erin P. Johnson, Marcela C. Smid, Susanna R. Cohen, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Addiction Journal, 47(1), 216-223
Date: 09/2025
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Presents a study detailing the efforts of the ELEVATE Maternal Health Center of Excellence to address mental health and substance use disorders (SUD) among pregnant and postpartum women in rural and American Indian and Alaska Native communities in Utah. Discusses the role mental health disorders and SUD play in contributing to maternal deaths and highlights the way ELEVATE interventions aim to improve care and reduce maternal mortality.
Author(s): Erin P. Johnson, Marcela C. Smid, Susanna R. Cohen, et al.
Citation: Substance Use & Addiction Journal, 47(1), 216-223
Date: 09/2025
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Binge Alcohol Use in the Past Month
Report using 2022-2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data to highlight binge alcohol in the previous month use among adults and youth aged 12 to 17. Appendix includes demographic and geographic characteristics of survey participants including 5 levels of urbanization by county.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report using 2022-2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data to highlight binge alcohol in the previous month use among adults and youth aged 12 to 17. Appendix includes demographic and geographic characteristics of survey participants including 5 levels of urbanization by county.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Medications for Opioid Use Disorder among Adults Who Had an Opioid Use Disorder
Offers data on adults receiving medications for opioid use disorder between 2022 and 2024 by age, sex, region, and metropolitan county status.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Offers data on adults receiving medications for opioid use disorder between 2022 and 2024 by age, sex, region, and metropolitan county status.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Substance Use Disorder in the Past Year
Offers data on substance use disorder between 2022 and 2024. Includes break down of use for adults and adolescents between 12 and 17 by various demographic and geographic factors including 5 levels of urbanization.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Offers data on substance use disorder between 2022 and 2024. Includes break down of use for adults and adolescents between 12 and 17 by various demographic and geographic factors including 5 levels of urbanization.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Marijuana Use or Opioid Misuse in the Past Year
Highlights data on marijuana and opioid use between 2022 and 2024. Includes break down of use for adults and adolescents between 12 and 17 by various demographic and geographic factors including 5 levels of urbanization.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Highlights data on marijuana and opioid use between 2022 and 2024. Includes break down of use for adults and adolescents between 12 and 17 by various demographic and geographic factors including 5 levels of urbanization.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
- Alcohol use
- Behavioral health
- Behavioral health workforce
- Illicit drug use
- Prescription drug misuse
- Substance use and misuse
- Tobacco use
Last Updated: 12/19/2025