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Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas.

Substance Use Among Rural Adolescents With Incarcerated Parents: Evidence From a State-Wide Sample
Presents a study on the potential correlation between parental incarceration and rural adolescent substance use. Draws data from the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey and breaks down findings by age, household substance use, and poverty, among other factors.
Author(s): Luke Muentner, Katie K. McLaughlin, Rebecca Shlafer
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(2), 338-347
Date: 11/2023
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National Rural Health Day and a Behavioral Health Community Star, with Tammy Norville and Jason Lillich
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Tammy Norville, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) CEO, and Jason Lillich, Executive Director of Three Rivers Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Center, a 2023 National Rural Health Day Community Star. Focuses on the origins of National Rural Health Day and the ongoing importance of behavioral health and substance use services for rural communities.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Extra Episode - Rural Communities Opioid Response Program with Megan Meacham and Sarah O'Donell
Podcast episode featuring Megan Meacham and Sarah O'Donnell from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Describes the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), which aims to improve access to substance use disorder, prevention, treatment, and recovery services in rural communities. Discusses examples of how RCORP grantees are effectively serving communities and tips for accessing resources to address the opioid crisis in tips for accessing resources to address the rural opioid crisis.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Impact! Communications, Inc.
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Houselessness and Syringe Service Program Utilization among People Who Inject Drugs in Eight Rural Areas Across the USA: A Cross-sectional Analysis
Examines the relationship between houselessness and syringe service program (SSP) use among people who inject drugs (PWID) in rural areas. Analyzes survey data from self-identified PWID across 10 states and explores data on PWID demographic profile, related drug use, proximity to SSPs, and more. Discusses housing instability in rural areas and potential barriers to SSP use.
Author(s): April M. Ballard, Dylan Falk, Harris Greenwood, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 20, 157
Date: 10/2023
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Types of Offers of Combustible Cigarettes, E-Cigarettes, and Betel Nut Experienced by Guam Youths
Presents a study on the scenarios where youths in Guam are presented with the opportunity to use cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and betel nut. Bases findings on focus group discussions and breaks down data by type of offer, location, and group context, among other measures.
Author(s): Francis Dalisay, Scott K. Okamoto, Jane Teneza, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(19), 6832
Date: 09/2023
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Implementation of Substance Use Screening in Rural Federally-Qualified Health Center Clinics Identified High Rates of Unhealthy Alcohol and Cannabis Use among Adult Primary Care Patients
Examines the feasibility of integrating electronic health record (EHR) tools into the screening of primary care patients for substance use. Discusses the process of screening 3,749 patients at 3 rural Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) via EHR-integrated methods and the potential impacts of this screening method on reducing rural primary care provider burden.
Author(s): Jennifer McNeely, Bethany McLeman, Trip Gardner, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 18, 56
Date: 09/2023
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Rural Recovery Housing, with Ernie Fletcher and Erica Walker
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Governor Ernie Fletcher, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Fletcher Group, and Erica Walker, Outreach and Engagement Specialist for the Fletcher Group. Focuses on recovery housing in rural communities and the different levels of support it can provide to help people healing from substance use disorders.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Empowering Native Families: A Youth Cannabis Prevention Toolkit for Native American Parents
Report provides guidance for American Indian and Alaska Native communities on cannabis use among children and teens. Discusses the prevalence of cannabis use by native youth and highlights strategies for addressing it. Provides links to additional resources.
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: Mountain Plains Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network
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Recovery In Rural America: Housing Helps Address the Substance Use Disorder Crisis
Describes the intersection of housing issues and substance use disorder (SUD) and discusses potential collaborations, innovations, and solutions. Includes examples of how rural communities across the U.S. have strategized to solve problems associated with housing and SUD.
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Health Panel Comment Letter – HHS Smoking Cessation Framework 2023
Offers comments in response to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Request for Information on the draft HHS 2023 Framework to Support and Accelerate Smoking Cessation. Discusses tobacco use in rural areas, incorporating payment strategies to incentivize clinical providers and health plans to address tobacco cessation, the importance of culturally competent interventions, and more.
Date: 07/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Last Updated: 12/10/2025