Multivariate models were used to explore the inpatient hospital resource costs associated with treatment for substance use disorders (SUD) for rural versus urban populations; how inpatient hospital resource costs vary by patient, market, and hospital characteristics; and whether length-of-stay (LOS), a major correlate of the resource cost of inpatient stays, differs between rural residents compared to urban residents.

Results focused on the direction and size of the SUD-related indicator variables and interactions with the rurality measures. In addition, whether rurality is associated with cost and LOS, after controlling for hospital characteristics, resource measures, and sociodemographic factors, were studied. Finally, results were used to generate predictions for future trends of SUD treatment, allowing rural decision-makers to plan for future resource needs as SUD mortality and morbidity patterns change over time, including changes in rates of opioid and methamphetamine use disorders.

Publications

• Factors Associated With Lengths-of-Stay for Inpatients With Substance Use Disorders
  Policy Brief
  Rural Health Equity Research Center
  Date: 04/2023
  This policy brief identifies factors associated with inpatient length-of-stay (LOS) for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs), and whether there are systematic differences in LOS for rural and urban residents.
• Rural and Urban Differences in Factors Associated With Inpatient Hospital Stays for Substance Use Disorder
  Policy Brief
  Rural Health Equity Research Center
  Date: 04/2023
  Using 2018 all-payer claims data from seven states, this brief describes the lengths and costs of inpatient hospital stays for substance use disorders and examines whether there were differences between stays for rural and urban residents.