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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Substance use and misuse

Wiping Away the Tears: Addressing Increasing Death in Rural America
Examines rural mortality trends and discusses the impact of the opioid epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic, as well as rural maternal and infant mortality. Describes federally-funded efforts to address rural disparities.
Author(s): Whitney Zahnd
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Barriers and Facilitators Associated With Establishment of Emergency Department-Initiated Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder in Rural Maine
Presents a study on the barriers and facilitators for implementing programs that initiate buprenorphine treatment for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) seeking care in critical access hospital (CAH) emergency departments (EDs) in rural Maine. Highlights findings of a survey of CAH ED directors on the challenges of implementing buprenorphine initiation programs.
Author(s): Noah K. Rosenberg, Alexander B. Hill, Lily Johnsky, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(3), 612-619
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
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Introduction to Improving Telehealth and Virtual Care for Pain Management and Opioid/ Substance Use Disorder
Presents the proceedings of a meeting discussing the use of telehealth and virtual care to treat substance use disorder (SUD), opioid use disorder (OUD), and to monitor pain management. Highlights the effect the COVID-19 pandemic on telehealth use, regulation, and reimbursement. Features considerations for rural communities.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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Rural Health in Connecticut A Comprehensive Review of Social Determinants, Community Resources, Health Outcomes, and Wellbeing
Documents the nature of public health for Connecticut's rural populations with a focus on trends, to understand how these populations are changing. Features chapters on social determinants of health, healthcare systems, health risks and behaviors, and health outcomes.
Author(s): Kelly Davila, Camille Seaberry
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: DataHaven
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Community Engagement: An Essential Component of an Effective and Equitable Substance Use Prevention System
Describes the role of community engagement for tribal, urban, suburban, and rural communities when developing equitable evidence-based programs and policies supporting substance use prevention programs. Discusses research focused on community engagement activities and outcomes, hands-on strategies derived from participation in community engagement, and evaluation as part of the planning and implementation process. Presents examples of how community engagement facilitates substance use prevention systems in rural and tribal communities.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Behavioral Health and Primary Care Integration in Rural Health Facilities: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of the prevalence of mental illness and substance use disorders in rural areas. Discusses the role of rural primary care providers in treating these conditions. Outlines federal programs and resources to support behavioral health and primary care integration. Offers policy recommendations related to access to care; workforce recruitment and retention; telehealth, technology, and broadband; and reimbursement and sustainable revenue.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Behavioral Healthcare Organizations' Experiences Related to Use of Telehealth as a Result of the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study
Study examining the experiences of substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health treatment service providers with telehealth based on surveys of 391 individuals on behalf of their organizations. Describes COVID-related experiences with telehealth, general telehealth experiences, and recommendations for continued telehealth delivery, including rural-specific insights and concerns.
Author(s): Abby Kisicki, Sara Becker, Michael Chaple, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 22, 775
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
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Contraception and Healthcare Utilization by Reproductive-Age Women Who Use Drugs in Rural Communities: a Cross-Sectional Survey
Study examining contraceptive use by women aged 18-49 in rural areas, comparing overall rates of contraceptive use to those of women who use opioid and/or non-opioid injection drugs. Analyzes data from the Rural Opioids Initiative (ROI) and the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). Discusses the study's implications for access to services, targeted interventions, and testing for infectious diseases.
Author(s): Ximena A. Levander, Canyon A. Foot, Sara L. Magnusson, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
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Medicaid & State Telehealth Policy – Medicaid Telehealth Policy & Substance Use Disorder
Webinar covering state and federal Medicaid telehealth policy for the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD). Offers an overview of telehealth, its expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its application in SUD treatment with examples from Arkansas and Philadelphia. Also covers research on disparities in drug-related mortality and access to treatment during the pandemic. Captions are available by clicking "CC" at the bottom of the video pane.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 06/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Center for Connected Health Policy: The National Telehealth Policy Resource Center
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Introduction to Improving Telehealth and Virtual Care for Pain Management and Opioid/Substance Use Disorder
Summarizes a meeting of the Pain Management Guidelines and Evidence Standards (PM) and Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services (PTR) Working Groups of the National Academy of Medicine's Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic. Discusses telehealth flexibilities during the COVID-19 public health emergency, telehealth use for pain management, and telehealth-based treatment of opioid and substance use disorders.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy of Medicine
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