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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Prescription drug misuse

Premature Mortality from All Causes and Drug Poisonings in the USA According to Socioeconomic Status and Rurality: An Analysis of Death Certificate Data by County from 2000–15
Examines premature deaths from drug poisoning versus all causes by county for various groups of people. Addresses differences by rural/urban location, socioeconomic status, education level, and sex, among other measures. See additional link for detailed tables.
Additional links: Supplementary Appendix
Author(s): Meredith S. Shiels, Amy Berrington de Gonzalez, Ana F. Best, et al.
Citation: The Lancet, 4(2), e97-e106
Date: 02/2019
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Opioid Use Disorder: Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Communities
Discusses challenges rural communities face in providing access to evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). Identifies federal and state strategies to address treatment capacity, including expanding the workforce authorized to prescribe buprenorphine and using technology to provide treatment. Highlights how Scott County, Indiana responded to an HIV outbreak related to OUD by addressing the barriers to care faced by people with OUD and HIV.
Date: 02/2019
Sponsoring organization: Pew Charitable Trusts
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Oklahoma Drug Induced Causes of Death Due to Opioid Poisoning, 1999 to 2017
County-level map of Oklahoma, using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Center for Health Statistics, to show drug induced age-adjusted mortality rate due to opioid poisoning from 1999 to 2017.
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma State University Center for Rural Health
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Association Among County-Level Economic Factors, Clinician Supply, Metropolitan or Rural Location, and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Highlights a study on demographic factors that correlate with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Looks at a county's economic factors, rural status, and clinician supply in 8 different states.
Author(s): Stephen W. Patrick, Laura J. Faherty, Andrew W. Dick, et al.
Citation: JAMA, 321(4), 385-393
Date: 01/2019
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The Contributions of Socioeconomic and Opioid Supply Factors to Geographic Variation in U.S. Drug Mortality Rates
Features a study on the geographic variation in opioid overdose mortality. Compares rates of drug mortality from 2000-2002 with 2014-2016 and looks at socioeconomic factors, as well as rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Shannon M. Monnat
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Institute for New Economic Thinking
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Understanding the Opioid Crisis in Rural and Urban Iowa
Highlights findings from an analysis of the opioid epidemic in Iowa. Covers data and statistics comparing opioid death rates in Iowa to surrounding states; opioid-use deaths in metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural Iowa and to the U.S. population; and opioid deaths by cause, such as prescription or synthetic opioids, and rurality. Analyzes other factors related to opioid-use deaths such as demographics, employment, income, and civic participation.
Author(s): David J. Peters, Peter Miller, Andrew Hochstetler
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
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340B Hospitals on the Front Lines of Addressing the U.S. Opioid Epidemic: Case Examples from the Field
Highlights how six hospitals participating in the 340B drug pricing program are helping address the opioid epidemic. Includes case studies from rural Critical Access Hospitals in Minnesota.
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: 340B Health
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Opioid-Related Hospital Stays Among Women in the United States, 2016
Examines opioid-related hospitalizations among women 15 years of age and older. Provides data by location of patient residence for large metropolitan, small/medium metro, and micropolitan/noncore (rural) areas addressing: opioid-related compared to non-opioid stays; co-occurring mental disorder or pregnancy/childbirth; stays related to opioid abuse/dependence, opioid adverse events, and opioid poisoning/self-harm; and patient race/ethnicity by location of residence.
Author(s): Audrey J. Weiss, Kimberly W. McDermott, Kevin C. Heslin
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Association of Pharmaceutical Industry Marketing of Opioid Products With Mortality From Opioid-Related Overdoses
Highlights a study on the correlation between the marketing of opioids and opioid overdose mortality at a county-level. Breaks down data by participants' age, census region, and metro versus nonmetro location, among other factors.
Author(s): Scott E. Hadland, Ariadne Rivera-Aguirre, Brandon D. L. Marshall, Magdalena Cerdá
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 2(1)
Date: 01/2019
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The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (P.L.115-271): Medicare Provisions
Provides a section-by-section description of Medicare provisions in the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act). Addresses rural in two sections: Section 6083 seeks to expand access to addiction treatment in Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics by paying for training costs to obtain a DATA waiver to furnish OUD treatment; Section 6042 authorizes a demonstration project testing expanded access to MAT drugs through teams with a primary care provider.
Date: 01/2019
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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