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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.

2018 Electronic Cigarette Use among Youth in Georgia
Features data on e-cigarette use among youth in Georgia. Compares usage rates with other forms of tobacco, as well as usage rates in urban versus rural areas.
Date: 04/2018
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Department of Public Health
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Combating the Opioid Crisis: Improving the Ability of Medicare and Medicaid to Provide Care for Patients
Presents the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on the role of Medicare and Medicaid in combating the opioid crisis. Features testimony from representatives of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Boston Medical Center, the Centene Corporation, Centerstone America, Geisinger Health System, and Magellan Healthcare.
Additional links: Mr. David Guth Testimony, Mr. Toby Douglas Testimony
Date: 04/2018
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018
Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on the Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018. Features testimony from representatives of the Delaware Office of the Child Advocate, the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, and the Addiction Policy Forum.
Date: 04/2018
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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The Geographic Variation in the Cost of the Opioid Crisis
Presents a study on the economic costs of the opioid crisis across the nation. Features state-by-state and county-level data on the monetary burden of opioid abuse on communities.
Author(s): Alex Brill, Scott Ganz
Date: 03/2018
Sponsoring organization: American Enterprise Institute
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Drug Overdose Rates Are Highest in Places With the Most Economic and Family Distress
Examines county-level drug-related mortality as it relates to economic distress and family dissolution. Includes discussion of differences in mortality seen in farm-dependent and mining-dependent rural counties.
Author(s): Shannon M. Monnat
Date: 03/2018
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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What's MAT Got to Do with It? Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Rural America
Provides an overview of medication-assisted treatment (MAT), an evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder, with information on the science behind the disorder and how three MAT medications work. Highlights rural health organizations providing MAT treatment.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Date: 03/2018
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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The Opioid Crisis: Leadership and Innovation in the States
Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on state policy approaches to combating the opioid crisis. Features testimony from the governors of Maryland and Oregon detailing the opioid interventions implemented in their states.
Date: 03/2018
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Vital Signs: Trends in Emergency Department Visits for Suspected Opioid Overdoses — United States, July 2016-September 2017
Reports on changes in opioid overdoses seen in emergency departments (EDs) by region, state, and urbanization level. Addresses the need for real-time data to coordinate responses to outbreaks and the role ED data can play. Discusses how ED physicians and staff can help address future overdoses among ED patients. Figure 2 shows quarterly suspected opioid overdose data for metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore counties.
Author(s): Alana M. Vivolo-Kantor, Puja Seth, R. Matthew Gladden, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 67(9), 279-285
Date: 03/2018
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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The Opioid Crisis: The Role of Technology and Data in Preventing and Treating Addiction
Highlights the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on the use of data and technology interventions in combating the opioid epidemic. Features testimony from representatives of Express Scripts, the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws, the Santa Clara University Public Health Program, and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Date: 02/2018
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Rural Health Research Recap: Opioid Use and Treatment Availability
Summarizes key findings from the Rural Health Research Centers' most recent research on opioid use and treatment. Focuses on research related to opioid use in rural communities, treatment for opioid use disorder, perceived need and use of treatment, and rural community response. Provides links to each of the referenced source documents.
Author(s): Shawnda Schroeder
Date: 01/2018
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Last Updated: 11/10/2025