Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas.
Disparities in Current Cigarette Smoking among Us Adults with Mental Health Conditions
Examines the prevalence of smoking among adults with reported mental health conditions. Analyzes 19,398 respondents from the 2019 and 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and breaks down the data state-by-state as well as by age, sex, sexual orientation, education, disability, annual income, marriage status, health insurance and employment status, having been arrested in the past 12 months, and large metro, small metro, and nonmetro/rural area.
Author(s): Caitlin G. Loretan, Teresa W. Wang, Christina V. Watson, Ahmed Jamal
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 19
Date: 12/2022
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Examines the prevalence of smoking among adults with reported mental health conditions. Analyzes 19,398 respondents from the 2019 and 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and breaks down the data state-by-state as well as by age, sex, sexual orientation, education, disability, annual income, marriage status, health insurance and employment status, having been arrested in the past 12 months, and large metro, small metro, and nonmetro/rural area.
Author(s): Caitlin G. Loretan, Teresa W. Wang, Christina V. Watson, Ahmed Jamal
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 19
Date: 12/2022
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Florence County Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse and Mental Health Coalition - Increasing Community Capacity and Resources Through Partnership
Details a community effort to address substance use and mental health issues in rural Florence County, WI. Highlights the coalition's efforts to address the behavioral health of the county's youth and families through school-based efforts and discusses how collective action can address behavioral health issues in rural communities.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Bright Research Group, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
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Details a community effort to address substance use and mental health issues in rural Florence County, WI. Highlights the coalition's efforts to address the behavioral health of the county's youth and families through school-based efforts and discusses how collective action can address behavioral health issues in rural communities.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Bright Research Group, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
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Early Changes in Waivered Clinicians and Utilization of Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder After Implementation of the 2021 HHS Buprenorphine Practice Guidelines
Report examines the changes in access to buprenorphine following the implementation of new HHS guidelines as of April 2021. Discusses the revised guidelines and analyzes their effect on access to buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorder.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Report examines the changes in access to buprenorphine following the implementation of new HHS guidelines as of April 2021. Discusses the revised guidelines and analyzes their effect on access to buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorder.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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QuickStats: Drug Overdose Death Rates Among Persons Aged ≥15 Years, by Age Group and Urban-Rural Status — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2020
Bar chart showing rural and urban overdose death rates by age group for those aged 15-24, 25-44, 45-64, and 65 and older.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(47), 1503
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Bar chart showing rural and urban overdose death rates by age group for those aged 15-24, 25-44, 45-64, and 65 and older.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(47), 1503
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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U.S. National and State Estimates of Children Living with Parents Using Substances, 2015– 2019
Estimates of the number and percentage of children whose parents engage in problematic substance use. Presents data by substance type; by child demographic characteristics, including age, urban/rural residence, and by state.
Author(s): Robin Ghertner
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Estimates of the number and percentage of children whose parents engage in problematic substance use. Presents data by substance type; by child demographic characteristics, including age, urban/rural residence, and by state.
Author(s): Robin Ghertner
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Rates of Alcohol-Induced Deaths, by Urban-Rural Status — United States, 2000–2020
Line chart showing rural and urban alcohol-induced death rates.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(44), 1425
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Line chart showing rural and urban alcohol-induced death rates.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(44), 1425
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Opioid-Related Outcomes among Individuals with Co-Occurring Behavioral Health Conditions
Provides an overview of a quality measurement framework to improve the prevention and monitoring of opioid-related overdoses and mortality among individuals with co-occurring behavioral health conditions. Identifies existing measures, measure concepts, and recommendations to serve as a starting point for quality measurement. Highlights 3 essential domains for measurement: equitable access, clinical interventions, and integrated and comprehensive care for concurrent behavioral health conditions.
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Provides an overview of a quality measurement framework to improve the prevention and monitoring of opioid-related overdoses and mortality among individuals with co-occurring behavioral health conditions. Identifies existing measures, measure concepts, and recommendations to serve as a starting point for quality measurement. Highlights 3 essential domains for measurement: equitable access, clinical interventions, and integrated and comprehensive care for concurrent behavioral health conditions.
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Patient-Level and County-Level Trends in Nonfatal Opioid-Involved Overdose Emergency Medical Services Encounters — 491 Counties, United States, January 2018–March 2022
Reports on trends in rates of EMS encounters for nonfatal opioid-involved overdoses during January 2018–March 2022, based on data from 491 counties in 21 states. Includes trend data by quarter for rural and urban counties.
Author(s): Shannon M. Casillas, Cassandra M. Pickens, Erin K. Stokes, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(34), 1073-1080
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on trends in rates of EMS encounters for nonfatal opioid-involved overdoses during January 2018–March 2022, based on data from 491 counties in 21 states. Includes trend data by quarter for rural and urban counties.
Author(s): Shannon M. Casillas, Cassandra M. Pickens, Erin K. Stokes, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(34), 1073-1080
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Association of Methamphetamine and Opioid Use with Nonfatal Overdose in Rural Communities
Study examining the incidence of nonfatal overdoses for people using methamphetamine and opioids alone and together, drawing data from National Rural Opioid Initiative surveys of people who use drugs in rural areas of 10 states. Presents findings related to prevalence of methamphetamine and opioid use and implications of the findings for harm reduction programs and treatment programs.
Author(s): P. Todd Korthuis, Ryan R. Cook, Canyon A. Foot, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(8), e2226544
Date: 08/2022
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Study examining the incidence of nonfatal overdoses for people using methamphetamine and opioids alone and together, drawing data from National Rural Opioid Initiative surveys of people who use drugs in rural areas of 10 states. Presents findings related to prevalence of methamphetamine and opioid use and implications of the findings for harm reduction programs and treatment programs.
Author(s): P. Todd Korthuis, Ryan R. Cook, Canyon A. Foot, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(8), e2226544
Date: 08/2022
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The Rural Opioid Initiative Consortium Description: Providing Evidence to Understand the Fourth Wave of the Opioid Crisis
Highlights an initiative aimed at developing interventions to address rural opioid use. Collects data from rural areas in 10 states via surveys of people who use drugs and explores overlapping issues, such as other drug use, homelessness, and lack of access to treatment, among others.
Author(s): Richard A. Jenkins, Bridget M. Whitney, Robin M. Nance, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, 17, 38
Date: 07/2022
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Highlights an initiative aimed at developing interventions to address rural opioid use. Collects data from rural areas in 10 states via surveys of people who use drugs and explores overlapping issues, such as other drug use, homelessness, and lack of access to treatment, among others.
Author(s): Richard A. Jenkins, Bridget M. Whitney, Robin M. Nance, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, 17, 38
Date: 07/2022
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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: 12/1/2025

