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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Substance use and misuse

The Northern Border Region: A Health-Focused Landscape Analysis
Chartbook examining population health and healthcare access for Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, and for the region overall. Identifies strengths and assets of the Northern Border region states, as well as opportunities for improvement. Features demographics and statistics on quality of care, health outcomes, health behaviors, mortality rates and causes, Health Professional Shortage Areas, telehealth policies, and telehealth grants awarded from 2018-2021. Includes maps showing locations of substance use treatment facilities, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and hospitals.
Author(s): Katherine Ahrens, Amanda Burgess, Carly Milkowski, et al.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Maine Rural Health Research Center, Northern Border Regional Commission
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Cancer Screening among Rural People Who Use Drugs: Colliding Risks and Barriers
Examines cancer screening trends related to people who use drugs (PWUD) from 37 participant surveys and 8 follow-up interviews conducted between July 2020 and July 2021. Discusses issues of healthcare access and stigma for PWUD and how these issues impact cancer disparities in rural areas.
Author(s): Wiley D. Jenkins, Jennifer Rose, Yamile Molina, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(8)
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
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Structural and Community Changes During Covid-19 and Their Effects on Overdose Precursors among Rural People Who Use Drugs: A Mixed-Methods Analysis
Discusses the impact COVID-19 had on structural interventions to prevent drug overdose from August 2020 to May 2021 in rural Illinois. Reports on quantitative survey data such as drug use history and COVID-19 impacts of 50 participants and includes interview responses related to themes such as employment, housing, stigma, mental health, and drug market disruptions from 17 participants.
Author(s): Suzan M. Walters, Rebecca S. Bolinski, Ellen Almirol, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 17, 24
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
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Assessment of Community-Level Vulnerability and Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
Study examining access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in relation to social vulnerability to disasters based on zip code tabulation data (ZCTA) for 32,434 counties in the continental U.S. Discusses differences in geographic access to MOUD for rural and urban areas and the potential impacts of disasters on that access, highlighting potential interventions to bolster access to treatment.
Author(s): Paul J. Joudrey, Marynia Kolak, Qinyun Lin, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(4), e227028
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
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Oversight: The Opioid Crisis in Tribal Communities
Recording of a U.S. House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, hearing focused on the opioid crisis in tribal communities. Includes testimonies from representatives of the Cherokee Nation, the National Council of Urban Indian Health, the Border Patrol Council, and the Riverside-San Bernardino Indian Health.
Additional links: Art Del Cueto Testimony, Chuck Hoskin, Jr. Testimony, Maureen Rosette Testimony, Wayne Cortez Testimony, YouTube Recording
Date: 04/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: U.S. House of Representatives
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Impact of Telemedicine on Retention in Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Treatment with Buprenorphine in the Times of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Chart Review
Study examining treatment retention for medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) patients via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on electronic health records of patients at a rural Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Pennsylvania. Discusses the impacts of telemedicine on retention rates, COVID-19-related challenges to treatment delivery systems, and policy measures to support telehealth and MOUD interventions.
Author(s): Jagdeep Kaur, Irakli Mania, Raghavendra Tirupathi, Lakshmi Polavarapu
Citation: Journal of Rural Mental Health, 46(2), 75-81
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
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Rural Disparities in Adolescent Smoking Prevalence
Analyzes surveys of 299,435 12th grade students between 1998 and 2018 to compare smoking prevalence among urban and rural youth. Discusses potential reasons for disparate rates and gaps in the literature regarding e-cigarette use.
Author(s): Sooyong Kim, Arielle Selya
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(2), 360-363
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
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2020 Alabama State Health Assessment
Reports on the health of Alabama residents, providing demographic data and comparing rural and urban areas throughout. Presents county-level data and discussion of 14 selected health indicators, including mental health and substance abuse, access to care, pregnancy outcomes, social determinants of health, and environmental health, among others.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Alabama Department of Public Health
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The State of Our Health: A Statewide Health Assessment of Pennsylvania
Identifies specific health challenges in Pennsylvania and indicates where the largest improvements can be made. Features sections on social determinants of health, access to care, substance use, chronic diseases, mental health, maternal and infant health, injury and violence prevention, infectious diseases and immunization, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and environmental health. Includes references to rural throughout.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Department of Health
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Tailoring Opioid Overdose Prevention Efforts for Diverse Groups within Tribal and Urban Indian Settings - A Toolkit for Providers and Community Organizations Serving American Indian/Alaska Native Communities
Toolkit features resources and strategies for preventing opioid overdoses in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Features information for AI/AN elders, youth, veterans, and LGBTQ2S+, as well as urban and tribal communities.
Author(s): Danielle Eakins, Maya Magarati, Katie Hess, et al.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Seven Directions - A Center for Indigenous Public Health
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