@article{ref1,
title="Substance use disorder treatment and technology access among people who use drugs in rural areas of the United States: a cross-sectional survey",
journal="Journal of rural health",
year="2022",
author="Button, Dana and Levander, Ximena A. and Cook, Ryan R. and Miller, William C. and Salisbury-Afshar, Elizabeth M. and Tsui, Judith I. and Ibragimov, Umedjon and Jenkins, Wiley D. and Westergaard, Ryan P. and Korthuis, P. Todd",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="PURPOSE: To evaluate how technology access affected substance use disorder (SUD) treatment prior to COVID-19 for people who use drugs in rural areas. <br><br>METHODS: The Rural Opioid Initiative (January 2018-March 2020) was a cross-sectional study of people with prior 30-day injection drug or nonprescribed opioid use from rural areas of 10 states. Using multivariable mixed-effect regression models, we examined associations between participant technology access and SUD treatment. <br><br>FINDINGS: Of 3,026 participants, 71% used heroin and 76% used methamphetamine. Thirty-five percent had no cell phone and 10% had no prior 30-day internet use. Having both a cell phone and the internet was associated with increased days of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) use (aIRR 1.29 [95% CI 1.11-1.52]) and a higher likelihood of SUD counseling in the prior 30 days (aOR 1.28 [95% CI 1.05-1.57]). Lack of cell phone was associated with decreased days of MOUD (aIRR 0.77 [95% CI 0.66-0.91]) and a lower likelihood of prior 30-day SUD counseling (aOR 0.77 [95% CI 0.62-0.94]). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Expanding US rural SUD treatment engagement via telemedicine may require increased cell phone and mobile network access.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0890-765X",
doi="10.1111/jrh.12737",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12737"
}