Research Alert: June 19, 2017

Rural and Urban Utilization of the Emergency Department for Mental Health and Substance

While research has identified general utilization and cost of emergency care for mental health and substance abuse (MH/SA) services, little research specifically addresses rural utilization, and rural populations at greater risk of utilizing the ED for a MH/SA diagnosis. Utilizing data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's (HCUP's) State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) for seven states, researchers explored and described the use of the ED for MH/SA among Urban, Large Rural, Small Rural, and Isolated Small Rural residents. The proportion of ED visits with a primary MH/SA diagnosis increased nationally. While results indicate that utilization is lower among the more rural U.S. residents, individuals utilizing the ED for MH in rural communities share different characteristics than those in urban areas, which subsequently may impact cost of care, and proposed interventions.

Additional Resources of Interest:

• More information about the North Dakota and NORC Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center
• More information from the Rural Health Information Hub's topic guides: Healthcare Access, Mental Health, Substance Use and Misuse