Catastrophic Consequences: The Rise of Opioid Abuse in Rural Communities

This project will analyze national data on the prevalence of opioids in rural and urban settings as well as describe state and local efforts to promote prevention and access to treatment.

Publications

• Rural Opioid Abuse: Prevalence and User Characteristics
  Policy Brief
  Maine Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 02/2016
  Opioid abuse is the fastest growing substance abuse problem in the nation and the primary cause of unintentional drug overdose deaths. This study examined the rural-urban prevalence of non-medical use of pain relievers and heroin in the past year and the socioeconomic characteristics associated with their use and other risky behavior.
• Rural Opioid Prevention and Treatment Strategies: The Experience in Four States
  Policy Brief
  Maine Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 04/2017
  Little is known about what states with large rural populations are doing to combat opioid use disorders (OUD) in rural communities. This qualitative study identified rural challenges to the provision of OUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services and explored promising strategies to tackle the opioid crisis in rural communities.