Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Substance use and misuse
Comparing the Care and Distance Traveled by Rural and Urban Children and Adolescents with Medicaid Insurance and Opioid Use Disorder
Presents a study on the geographic factors that affect access to treatment for youth and adolescents, aged 0-17, with an opioid use disorder (OUD) and enrolled in Medicaid in 2019. Discusses the effects of rurality, travel burden, and residing in a county without a clinician with a DEA waiver, among other measures.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Presents a study on the geographic factors that affect access to treatment for youth and adolescents, aged 0-17, with an opioid use disorder (OUD) and enrolled in Medicaid in 2019. Discusses the effects of rurality, travel burden, and residing in a county without a clinician with a DEA waiver, among other measures.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Rural-Urban Variation in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Access among Commercially Insured Children and Adolescents
Details a study on the geographic factors that affect access to treatment for youth and adolescents, aged 0-17, with an opioid use disorder (OUD) and covered by commercial insurance in 2019. Discusses the effects of rurality, provider type, travel burden, and residing in a county without a clinician with a DEA waiver, among other measures.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Details a study on the geographic factors that affect access to treatment for youth and adolescents, aged 0-17, with an opioid use disorder (OUD) and covered by commercial insurance in 2019. Discusses the effects of rurality, provider type, travel burden, and residing in a county without a clinician with a DEA waiver, among other measures.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Hepatitis C Virus Transmission among People Who Inject Drugs in Rural United States: Mathematical Modeling Study Using Stochastic Agent-Based Network Simulation
Presents a study exploring a network simulation model of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission among rural people who inject drugs (PWID). Breaks down data by participant characteristics, such as age, sex, and HCV antibody positivity, among others, and network characteristics, such as size and percentage of PWID who are HCV positive, among others.
Author(s): Lin Zhu, Jennifer R Havens, Abby E Rudolph, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Epidemiology, 195(4), 937-947
Date: 04/2026
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Presents a study exploring a network simulation model of hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission among rural people who inject drugs (PWID). Breaks down data by participant characteristics, such as age, sex, and HCV antibody positivity, among others, and network characteristics, such as size and percentage of PWID who are HCV positive, among others.
Author(s): Lin Zhu, Jennifer R Havens, Abby E Rudolph, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Epidemiology, 195(4), 937-947
Date: 04/2026
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Analysis of Pennsylvania Crime Trends: An Updated Rural/Urban Comparison
Examines rural and urban crime trends in Pennsylvania from 2013-2023. Identifies areas where rural crime trends differ from urban patterns, and highlights differences across rural regions of the state. Features statistics on crime rates by offense category, injuries due to assault, access to drug and alcohol treatment centers, and most prevalent property crimes, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and Philadelphia alone.
Author(s): Brandon Vick, Robert Orth, Emily Schumacher, Angel Alcantara
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Examines rural and urban crime trends in Pennsylvania from 2013-2023. Identifies areas where rural crime trends differ from urban patterns, and highlights differences across rural regions of the state. Features statistics on crime rates by offense category, injuries due to assault, access to drug and alcohol treatment centers, and most prevalent property crimes, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and Philadelphia alone.
Author(s): Brandon Vick, Robert Orth, Emily Schumacher, Angel Alcantara
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Virginia's Plan for Well-Being: 2025-2029
Offers a data and community-driven roadmap to improve health outcomes and ensure that all Virginians live in conditions that allow them to thrive. Includes statistics on social determinants of health, infant mortality, firearm-related deaths and injury, obesity, mental health, substance use disorder, and housing. Features a county-level map showing rates of drug overdose deaths as of 2021. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Department of Health
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Offers a data and community-driven roadmap to improve health outcomes and ensure that all Virginians live in conditions that allow them to thrive. Includes statistics on social determinants of health, infant mortality, firearm-related deaths and injury, obesity, mental health, substance use disorder, and housing. Features a county-level map showing rates of drug overdose deaths as of 2021. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Department of Health
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Alcohol Use Disorder and Marijuana Use Disorder Among Adolescents and Young Adults Aged 12 to 24 in the Rural and Urban U.S., 2021
Describes the past-year prevalence of alcohol use disorder and marijuana use disorder among adolescents and young adults in rural and urban counties and across census divisions, in 2021. Features statistics with breakdowns by 7 levels of population density.
Author(s): Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the past-year prevalence of alcohol use disorder and marijuana use disorder among adolescents and young adults in rural and urban counties and across census divisions, in 2021. Features statistics with breakdowns by 7 levels of population density.
Author(s): Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Post-Hospital Access to Preferred and High-Quality Skilled Nursing Facilities for Patients With Opioid Use Disorder
Examines access to preferred and high-quality skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) among Medicare beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Utilizes 2017-2021 Medicare inpatient claims data to analyze 6,490,593 patients with OUD and their likelihood to enter preferred and high-quality SNFs according to patient demographics and urbanicity of metro, micro, small town, or rural.
Author(s): Talia S. Benheim, Momotazur Rahman, Andrew R. Zullo, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(2), e70110
Date: 04/2026
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Examines access to preferred and high-quality skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) among Medicare beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Utilizes 2017-2021 Medicare inpatient claims data to analyze 6,490,593 patients with OUD and their likelihood to enter preferred and high-quality SNFs according to patient demographics and urbanicity of metro, micro, small town, or rural.
Author(s): Talia S. Benheim, Momotazur Rahman, Andrew R. Zullo, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(2), e70110
Date: 04/2026
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Can a Participant-Referred "Study Buddy" Increase Retention of Rural People Who Use Drugs in Research? A Multi-Site, Randomized Trial
Presents a study exploring the efficacy of an intervention aiming to increase retention of rural people who use drugs (PWUD) participating in randomized trials. Highlights an intervention involving participant recruitment of a support person, or "study buddy", to aid in the their continued participation in the study. Compares the efficacy of this intervention with standard retention practices.
Author(s): April M. Young, Kathryn E. Lancaster, Miriam R. Elman, et al.
Citation: Addiction, 121(4), 894-907
Date: 04/2026
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Presents a study exploring the efficacy of an intervention aiming to increase retention of rural people who use drugs (PWUD) participating in randomized trials. Highlights an intervention involving participant recruitment of a support person, or "study buddy", to aid in the their continued participation in the study. Compares the efficacy of this intervention with standard retention practices.
Author(s): April M. Young, Kathryn E. Lancaster, Miriam R. Elman, et al.
Citation: Addiction, 121(4), 894-907
Date: 04/2026
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Community Place Attachment as a Significant Correlate of Motivation to Change Substance Use Behavior among Adults who Inject Drugs in Rural U.S.
Explores the role of community place attachment (CPA) in motivating change in substance use behaviors (MCSUB) among 350 people who inject drugs in Appalachian Kentucky. Provides data on the relationship between CPA, MCSUB, and substance use treatment utilization, and discusses belongingness as an asset supporting SUD treatment in rural communities.
Author(s): Janet K. Otachi, Shawndaya S. Thrasher, Keith J. Watts, Juma S. Mwenda, Hilary L. Surratt
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14, 1746203
Date: 03/2026
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Explores the role of community place attachment (CPA) in motivating change in substance use behaviors (MCSUB) among 350 people who inject drugs in Appalachian Kentucky. Provides data on the relationship between CPA, MCSUB, and substance use treatment utilization, and discusses belongingness as an asset supporting SUD treatment in rural communities.
Author(s): Janet K. Otachi, Shawndaya S. Thrasher, Keith J. Watts, Juma S. Mwenda, Hilary L. Surratt
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14, 1746203
Date: 03/2026
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NSDUH Short Report: Substance Use Disorder and Major Depressive Episode among Females
Report explores rates of substance use disorder (SUD) and major depressive episode (MDE) among women from 2022-2024. Breaks down data by a number of factors, such as demographic factors, adolescents versus adults, SUD/MDE severity, and rurality, among other measures.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report explores rates of substance use disorder (SUD) and major depressive episode (MDE) among women from 2022-2024. Breaks down data by a number of factors, such as demographic factors, adolescents versus adults, SUD/MDE severity, and rurality, among other measures.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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