Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources

The Implications of COVID-19 for Mental Health and Substance Use
Explores the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on mental health and substance use. Tracks rates of anxiety and depression, as well as substance use, from before and after the pandemic. Breaks down data by age, race, and rurality, among other measures.
Author(s): Nirmita Panchal, Heather Saunders, Robin Rudowitz, Cynthia Cox
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details

Availability of Behavioral Health Providers and Services in Rural Areas, with Holly Andrilla
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Holly Andrilla, Deputy Director of the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center. Focuses on rural availability of psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, social workers, and counselors, as well as recent developments in access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD).
Date: 03/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details

Urban–Rural Disparities in Deaths of Despair: A County-Level Analysis 2004–2016 in the U.S.
Presents a study exploring the rural-urban differences in drug, alcohol, and suicide mortality rates across the country from 2004 to 2016. Breaks down data by demographic factors, such as gender, employment, and health insurance, among other measures.
Author(s): Jong Hyung Lee, David C. Wheeler, Emily B. Zimmerman, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 64(2), 149-156
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
view details

How One New Mexico County is Taking a Community-Wide Approach to Treating Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders
Features a McKinley County, New Mexico community consortium that takes a holistic approach to recovery. Discusses the need for cultural understanding of Native culture in providing treatment services. Describes the growth of the collaboration over time and the range of local organizations involved.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details

HCV Serostatus and Injection Sharing Practices Among Those Who Obtain Syringes From Pharmacies and Directly and Indirectly From Syringe Services Programs in Rural New England
Explores the effect that syringe services programs (SSPs) have on hepatitis C (HCV) infection rates in rural people who inject drugs (PWID). Breaks down data by user characteristics, such as age, employment, and syringe sharing practices, among others.
Author(s): Eric Romo, Abby E. Rudolph, Thomas J. Stopka, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, 18
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details

Over the Hills and Through the Hollers: How One Program is Assisting Residents of Appalachia with Opioid Use Recovery
Results of a study evaluating the Kentucky Access to Recovery Program (KATR), which provides services to low-income adults recovering from opioid addiction in several rural eastern Kentucky counties. Examines the impact of KATR on service recipients' access to recovery services and supports.
Author(s): Aubrey E. Jones, Jayme E. Walters, Aaron R. Brown
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 4(3), 71-86
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details

NACRHHS Update: Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Integration of Behavioral Health and Primary Care Services
Webinar recording discusses the 90th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services which focused on rural EMS and the integration of behavioral health into primary care services. Features presentations from representatives of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services, the Bureau of Primary Health Care, Tri-Area Community Health, the Maine Rural Health Research Center, and the Kansas Health Institute.
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides, Webinar Transcript
Date: 01/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details

Trends and Characteristics of Buprenorphine-Involved Overdose Deaths Prior to and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Details a study evaluating the rates of buprenorphine-involved overdose deaths before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the pandemic when prescribing regulations were loosened. Compares overdose mortality rates involving buprenorphine in 2019 and 2021 and breaks down data by a number of demographic factors, including rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Lauren J. Tanz, Christopher M. Jones, Nicole L. Davis, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(1), e2251856
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details

2020 Rural Opioid Overdose Mortality
Highlights the rate of rural opioid overdose mortality in 2020 for several northern New England states and compares it to the national rate. Breaks down rates based on substances used as well.
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Vermont Center on Rural Addiction
view details

Telemedicine Use and Quality of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in the US During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Results of a study of 1,768 clinicians treating 11,801 patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), to examine the association between telemedicine adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic and indicators of OUD treatment quality. Explores medications for OUD (MOUD) prescribing and OUD-related clinical events, including drug overdose, inpatient detoxification, and rehabilitation center stay. Features statistics including patient and clinician characteristics, with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, and rural location.
Author(s): Ruth Hailu, Ateev Mehrotra, Haiden A. Huskamp, Alisa B. Busch, Michael L. Barnett
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(1)
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details