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Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Substance Use and Misuse in Rural Areas.

Barriers to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in the Court System: Provider Availability, Provider "Trustworthiness," and Cost
Examines perceptions of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) availability, provider trustworthiness, and MOUD affordability based on a survey of 151 court team members in Florida. Discusses rates of court referral to MOUD treatment in cases involving opioid use disorder (OUD) and notes rural-specific barriers to MOUD referral.
Author(s): Fatema Z. Ahmed, Barbara Andraka-Christou, M.H. Clark, et al.
Citation: Health & Justice, 10, 24
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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Identifying Unique Barriers to Implementing Rural Emergency Department-Based Peer Services for Opioid Use Disorder Through Qualitative Comparison with Urban Sites
Study examining the implementation of emergency department-based interventions for opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural and urban areas based on interviews with programs in Indiana's Recovery Coach and Peer Support Initiative (RCPSI). Describes barriers to implementation for rural programs, including issues related to intervention characteristics, logistical challenges, and staffing issues.
Author(s): Dennis P. Watson, Monte D. Staton, Nicole Gastala
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 17, 41
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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Fighting Fentanyl: The Federal Response to a Growing Crisis
Presents the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on the government's response to the fentanyl crisis. Includes testimonies from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Office of National Drug Control Policy regarding current efforts to address the expanding use of fentanyl across the U.S.
Additional links: Carole Johnson Testimony, Christopher Jones Testimony, Kemp Chester Testimony, Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon Testimony
Date: 07/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Responding to a Surge in Overdose Deaths: Perspectives From US Syringe Services Programs
Highlights a study on the perspectives of syringe service program (SSP) leadership and staff regarding overdose deaths in the US. Bases conclusions on interviews done from February to March of 2021 and breaks down participant data by geographic region, distribution approach, and rurality, among others factors.
Author(s): Madeline C. Frost, Elizabeth J. Austin, Maria A. Corcorran, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 19, 79
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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Urban–Rural Differences in Drug Overdose Death Rates, 2020
Examines 2020 drug overdose deaths by sex, race and ethnicity, and type of drug, with data broken down by rural versus urban county status. Includes a U.S. map that depicts if overall urban or rural counties in a state have a higher rate of age-adjusted overdose death.
Additional links: STATCAST Podcast Episode
Author(s): Merianne Rose Spencer, Matthew F. Garnett, Arialdi M. Miniño
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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UVM CORA Community Rounds: Strategies for Distributing Naloxone to Rural Communities
Webinar recording discusses rural opioid overdoses and methods for distributing naloxone to prevent overdoses. Explores the use of data, technology, and working with emergency services partners to deliver naloxone to people at risk of overdosing, among other factors.
Additional links: Webinar Slides
Author(s): Geoff Capraro, Brooke A. Lawrence
Date: 07/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: University of Vermont Center on Rural Addiction
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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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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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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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Last Updated: 7/1/2024