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.

Rural Communities Opioids Response Program (RCORP)
Highlights a review of the RCORP-TA program. Features a number of reports and briefs exploring the efficacy and perception of the technical assistance provided RCORP grantees from March, 2022 to September, 2023 by the RCORP-TA program.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Testing the Feasibility of the QuitAid Smoking Cessation Intervention in a Randomized Factorial Design in an Independent, Rural Community Pharmacy
Examines a pharmacist-delivered smoking cessation intervention in rural Appalachia. Analyzes an ask-advise-connect model conducted with 24 adult smokers between September and November 2021, observing recruitment, retention, treatment adherence, and fidelity. Includes data on participant demographics, participant satisfaction, and pharmacist perceptions.
Author(s): Melissa A. Little, Taylor Reid, Matthew Moncrief, et al.
Citation: Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 10(41)
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
view details
The Association of Alcohol Use and Heavy Drinking With Subsequent Handgun Carrying Among Youth From Rural Areas
Presents a study on the correlation between alcohol use and handgun carrying among rural youth. Examines past alcohol use by rural youth and young adults aged 12-26 on a scale of never used, used but not heavily, or used heavily. Breaks down data by participant characteristics, such as rebelliousness, family conflict, and education, among other factors.
Author(s): Alice M. Ellyson, Julia P. Schleimer, Kimberly Dalve, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(1), 181–191
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
view details
Medicaid Coverage of Medications to Reverse Opioid Overdose and Treat Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorders
Report discusses access to medications for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) via Medicaid. Highlights policies and regulations that effect access and details Medicaid coverage in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Features a discussion about rural access.
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
view details
Assessment of Substance Use Disorder Stigma and Strategies for Addressing Stigma in Rural Areas
January 31, 2024 webinar recording sharing results from the National Report on Rural Substance Use Disorder Stigma and Treatment Needs and discussing strategies for addressing stigma in rural areas. Includes transcript.
Additional links: Slide Presentation
Date: 01/2024
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: University of Vermont Center on Rural Addiction
view details
Association of Spatial Proximity to Fixed-Site Syringe Services Programs with HCV Serostatus and Injection Equipment Sharing Practices Among People Who Inject Drugs in Rural New England, United States
Examines the correlation of proximity to a syringe services program (SSP) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in rural areas of the northeastern United States. Utilizes 2018-2019 data to analyze people who inject drugs (PWID) and their demographic characteristics, drug usage, and distance to the nearest fixed-site SSP.
Author(s): Eric Romo, Thomas J. Stopka, Bill M. Jesdale, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 21, 23
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
view details
2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Among the American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN) Population Aged 12 or Older
Highlights data from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health pertaining specifically to American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) over the age of 12. Compares AI/AN rates of drug use and mental illness, as well as co-occurring disorders, to rates for the U.S. as a whole.
Date: 01/2024
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
view details
Temporal Trends in Substance Use and Cardiovascular Disease–Related Mortality in the United States
Analyzes 636,572 death certificates to identify trends for both substance use and cardiovascular disease-related mortality between 1999 and 2019. Breaks down data by rurality, gender, race and ethnicity, type of substance use, and more. Includes state-level comparisons.
Author(s): Abdul Mannan Khan Minhas, Jakrin Kewcharoen, Michael E. Hall, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Heart Association 13(2)
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
view details
Effectiveness of Syringe Services Programs
Presents a literature review of the studies evaluating SSP interventions across the country. Report aims to evaluate the overall efficacy of SSPs at reducing the transmission of HIV/HCV. Four of the 100 studies were conducted in completely rural settings, and 5 were conducted in both rural and urban settings. Makes recommendations for VA policy makers.
Additional links: Appendices, Executive Summary
Author(s): Katherine M. Mackey, Erin H. Beech, Beth E. Williams, et al.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: VA Health Services Research & Development Service
view details
Use of Primary Care and Emergency Departments for Substance Use Treatment: The Rural and Urban Divide
Explores the use of primary care and emergency departments for substance use treatment in rural and urban areas. Draws from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2015-2019 and breaks down data by age, race, and rurality, among other measures.
Author(s): Nathaniel Albright, Christina Dyar, Ethan Morgan
Citation: Substance Use & Misuse, 59(2), 300-305
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
view details

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


Last Updated: 4/10/2024