Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources

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

Urban–Rural Differences in Drug Overdose Death Rates, 2020
Examines 2020 drug overdose deaths by sex and type of drug, among other factors, with data broken down by rural versus urban county status. Includes a U.S. map that depicts if overall urban or rural counties in a state have a higher rate of age-adjusted overdose death.
Author(s): Merianne Rose Spencer, Matthew F. Garnett, Arialdi M. Miniño
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
view details
Barriers and Facilitators Associated with Establishment of Emergency Department-Initiated Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder in Rural Maine
Presents a study on the barriers and facilitators for implementing programs that initiate buprenorphine treatment for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) seeking care in Critical Access Hospital (CAH) emergency departments (EDs) in rural Maine. Highlights findings of a survey of CAH ED directors on the challenges of implementing buprenorphine initiation programs.
Author(s): Noah K. Rosenberg, Alexander B. Hill, Lily Johnsky, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(3), 612-619
Date: 06/2022
view details
Behavioral Health and Primary Care Integration in Rural Health Facilities: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of the prevalence of mental illness and substance use disorders in rural areas. Discusses the role of rural primary care providers in treating these conditions. Outlines federal programs and resources to support behavioral health and primary care integration. Offers policy recommendations related to access to care; workforce recruitment and retention; telehealth, technology, and broadband; and reimbursement and sustainable revenue.
Date: 06/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
view details
On the Farm
Documentary miniseries explores mental health and substance misuse on the American farm. Discusses the factors that contribute to psychological stress and substance use in farm families. Features interviews with experts as well as farmers and their families.
Additional links: Film Website
Date: 06/2022
Sponsoring organization: Mississippi State University
view details
Rural Disparities in Adolescent Smoking Prevalence
Analyzes surveys of 299,435 12th grade students between 1998 and 2018 to compare smoking prevalence among urban and rural youth. Discusses potential reasons for disparate rates and gaps in the literature regarding e-cigarette use.
Author(s): Sooyong Kim, Arielle Selya
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(2), 360-363
Date: 03/2022
view details
Strengthening Federal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Programs: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Issues
Presents a full committee hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions discussing the current state of federal mental health and substance use disorder programs. Features testimonies from representatives of the Heath Resources and Services Administration, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Additional links: Carole Johnson Testimony, Joshua A. Gordon Testimony, Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon Testimony, Nora D. Volkow Testimony
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
view details
Hazardous Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Related Harm in Rural and Remote Communities: A Scoping Review
Presents a review of studies exploring hazardous alcohol use and alcohol-related harm in rural and remote communities. Details the health effects and other negative outcomes of hazardous alcohol use and highlights correlations across rural communities.
Author(s): Erik Loewen Friesen, Jacob Bailey, Sarah Hyett, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Public Health, 7(2), E177-E187
Date: 02/2022
view details
Rural Health Research Recap: Opioid Use Disorder and Treatment: Rural-Urban Comparisons
Summary of research on opioid use disorder (OUD) among youth, young adults, and pregnant women, the impact of OUD on hospitals and emergency departments, and the use of buprenorphine and partial psychiatric hospitalization programs as treatment for OUD. Features statistics including population-adjusted emergency department rates per 100 people from 2005-2016 and opioid-related emergency room visit rates per 100,000 people in 2006 and 2013, with breakdowns by urban or rural location.
Author(s): Per Ostmo
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
view details
Meeting the Behavioral Health Needs of Farm Families in Times of Economic Distress
Offers strategies to support development and integration of behavioral health services across healthcare and community-based organizations, including leveraging payment systems to support coordinated care for farm families and aligning federal grant programs to address mental health and substance use disorders. Features recommendations including integrating primary and behavioral care for initial treatment of mental health and substance misuse concerns, expanding the workforce to improve rural behavioral health services capacity, increasing telehealth services, and expanding private and public insurance coverage.
Author(s): Andrew F. Coburn, Alva O. Ferdinand, Alana Knudson, et al.
Date: 02/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
view details
Evaluation of State-Led Surveillance of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome — Six U.S. States, 2018–2021
Examines data collection challenges and infrastructure gaps that impact surveillance of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), based on information from 6 states with mandated NAS reporting. Includes brief discussion of rural concerns, including disparities in the incidence of opioid use disorder and NAS and gaps in rural infrastructure and access to care.
Author(s): Shahla M. Jilani, Kristina West, Laura Jacobus-Kantor, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(2), 37-42
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details

Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for: