Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas.
Implementation Outcomes From a Pilot Study of Training Probation Officers to Deliver Contingency Management for Emerging Adults With Substance Use Disorders
Discusses the risk for young adults in the criminal justice system to misuse substances and develop substance use disorders. Highlights the increased risk for those young adults living in rural communities and explores the efficacy of a program that empowers probation officers to connect their clients to evidence-based substance use services. Details the results of this pilot program in two rural counties in Oregon.
Author(s): Tess K. Drazdowskia, Katherine Keltonc, Patrick F. Hibbard, et al.
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 166, 209450
Date: 11/2024
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Discusses the risk for young adults in the criminal justice system to misuse substances and develop substance use disorders. Highlights the increased risk for those young adults living in rural communities and explores the efficacy of a program that empowers probation officers to connect their clients to evidence-based substance use services. Details the results of this pilot program in two rural counties in Oregon.
Author(s): Tess K. Drazdowskia, Katherine Keltonc, Patrick F. Hibbard, et al.
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 166, 209450
Date: 11/2024
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A Case Report on a Women's Residential Substance Use Program in a Rural and Urban Setting
Explores the characteristics and outcomes of residential substance use recovery programs for parenting and pregnant women in rural and urban counties in Kentucky. Breaks down participant data by age, race, number of children, and location in a rural or urban area, among other measures.
Author(s): Deborah Winders Davis, Yana Feygin, Madeline Shipley, et al.
Citation: Maternal and Child Health Journal, 28, pages 1870–1875
Date: 10/2024
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Explores the characteristics and outcomes of residential substance use recovery programs for parenting and pregnant women in rural and urban counties in Kentucky. Breaks down participant data by age, race, number of children, and location in a rural or urban area, among other measures.
Author(s): Deborah Winders Davis, Yana Feygin, Madeline Shipley, et al.
Citation: Maternal and Child Health Journal, 28, pages 1870–1875
Date: 10/2024
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2023 Report to Congress on the State Opioid Response Grants (SOR)
Report details the outcomes of state opioid response (SOR) grants to Congress. Highlights demographic breakdown of people served by SOR programs and discusses key accomplishments by state/territory. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report details the outcomes of state opioid response (SOR) grants to Congress. Highlights demographic breakdown of people served by SOR programs and discusses key accomplishments by state/territory. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Meeting Summary, Santa Fe and Las Vegas, New Mexico, September 4-6, 2024
Summarizes the 95th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Santa Fe and Las Vegas, New Mexico. Presents an overview of national, state, and community perspectives on the rural opioid and substance use crisis.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Summarizes the 95th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Santa Fe and Las Vegas, New Mexico. Presents an overview of national, state, and community perspectives on the rural opioid and substance use crisis.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Medication-Based Treatment Among Rural, Primary Care Patients Diagnosed With Opioid Use Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder
Explores prescribing rates of medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders (MOUD and MAUD) in primary care settings in rural and urban areas. Discusses the use of medications for treating OUD and AUD and looks for differences in utilization by rural and urban providers. Breaks down data by patient age, sex, and medication type, among other measures.
Author(s): Emily Kan, Laura-Mae Baldwin, Larissa J Mooney, et al.
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 164, 20933
Date: 09/2024
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Explores prescribing rates of medications for opioid and alcohol use disorders (MOUD and MAUD) in primary care settings in rural and urban areas. Discusses the use of medications for treating OUD and AUD and looks for differences in utilization by rural and urban providers. Breaks down data by patient age, sex, and medication type, among other measures.
Author(s): Emily Kan, Laura-Mae Baldwin, Larissa J Mooney, et al.
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 164, 20933
Date: 09/2024
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Rural Reticence to Inform Physicians of Cannabis Use
Examines stigma in the healthcare system related to cannabis use and how this impacts reporting of use to providers in rural areas. Utilizes survey data from 1,045 adult Pennsylvanians and includes rural versus urban data breakdowns according to cannabidiol (CBD) use, marijuana use, and choice to inform provider about use.
Author(s): Daniel J. Mallinson, Timothy J. Servinsky
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 09/2024
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Examines stigma in the healthcare system related to cannabis use and how this impacts reporting of use to providers in rural areas. Utilizes survey data from 1,045 adult Pennsylvanians and includes rural versus urban data breakdowns according to cannabidiol (CBD) use, marijuana use, and choice to inform provider about use.
Author(s): Daniel J. Mallinson, Timothy J. Servinsky
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 09/2024
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Lessons for Future Pandemics: Temporal Evolution and Rural-Urban Variations in the Impacts of the COVID-19 on Opioid Use Treatment
Presents a study highlighting the lessons learned from opioid use treatment programs operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the impact of the pandemic on treatment services. Discusses the use of telehealth for both counseling and medication prescribing, as well as the challenges faced by patients trying to obtain treatment during the pandemic.
Author(s): Zhongyang He, Jonathan M. Heess, Travis Young, Zhen Lei
Citation: PLoS ONE, 19(9), e0310386
Date: 09/2024
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Presents a study highlighting the lessons learned from opioid use treatment programs operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the impact of the pandemic on treatment services. Discusses the use of telehealth for both counseling and medication prescribing, as well as the challenges faced by patients trying to obtain treatment during the pandemic.
Author(s): Zhongyang He, Jonathan M. Heess, Travis Young, Zhen Lei
Citation: PLoS ONE, 19(9), e0310386
Date: 09/2024
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Rural and Urban Differences in Marijuana Use Following Passages of Medical Marijuana Laws
Presents a study on differences in marijuana use in rural and urban areas after the legalization of medical marijuana. Compares marijuana usage in rural and urban areas and breaks down data by sex, sexual orientation, and level of marijuana use, among other factors.
Author(s): E. Morgan, C. Dyar
Citation: Public Health, 234, 64-70
Date: 09/2024
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Presents a study on differences in marijuana use in rural and urban areas after the legalization of medical marijuana. Compares marijuana usage in rural and urban areas and breaks down data by sex, sexual orientation, and level of marijuana use, among other factors.
Author(s): E. Morgan, C. Dyar
Citation: Public Health, 234, 64-70
Date: 09/2024
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Syringe Access, Syringe Sharing, and Perceptions of HCV: A Qualitative Study Exploring the HCV Risk Environment in Rural Northern New England, United States
Highlights a study on syringe access for people who inject drugs (PWID), rates of syringe sharing, and perceived hepatitis C (HCV) risk in rural Northern New England. Bases findings on semi-structured interviews and breaks down data by state of residence, age, and drug of choice, among other measures.
Author(s): Eric Romo, Elyse Bianchet, Patrick Dowd, et al.
Citation: Viruses, 16(9), 1364
Date: 08/2024
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Highlights a study on syringe access for people who inject drugs (PWID), rates of syringe sharing, and perceived hepatitis C (HCV) risk in rural Northern New England. Bases findings on semi-structured interviews and breaks down data by state of residence, age, and drug of choice, among other measures.
Author(s): Eric Romo, Elyse Bianchet, Patrick Dowd, et al.
Citation: Viruses, 16(9), 1364
Date: 08/2024
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Somebody to Lean on: Understanding Self-Stigma and Willingness to Disclose in the Context of Addiction
Presents a study on self-stigma, or the unwillingness to disclose opioid use, and aims to identify factors that predict lower levels of self-stigma. Breaks down data by race, sex, age, and rural/urban location, among other measures. Discusses strategies for overcoming self-stigma.
Author(s): Qing Ma, Christopher R. Whipple, Övgü Kaynak, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(8), 1044
Date: 08/2024
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Presents a study on self-stigma, or the unwillingness to disclose opioid use, and aims to identify factors that predict lower levels of self-stigma. Breaks down data by race, sex, age, and rural/urban location, among other measures. Discusses strategies for overcoming self-stigma.
Author(s): Qing Ma, Christopher R. Whipple, Övgü Kaynak, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(8), 1044
Date: 08/2024
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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: 8/26/2025