Understanding the Rural–Urban Differences in Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Use and Abuse in the United States

• DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2013.301709
• Publication Date: 2013-12-12T21:04:02Z
• Authors: Katherine M. Keyes; Magdalena Cerdá; Joanne E. Brady; Jennifer R. Havens; Sandro Galea
• Keywords: Vulnerability

Nonmedical prescription opioid misuse remains a growing public problem in need of action and is concentrated areas US states with large rural populations such as Kentucky, West Virginia, Alaska, Oklahoma. We developed hypotheses regarding the influence 4 factors: (1) greater areas, creating availability from which illegal markets can arise; (2) an out-migration young adults; (3) social kinship network connections, may facilitate drug diversion distribution; (4) economic stressors that create vulnerability to use more generally. A systematic consideration contexts differences availability, access, preferences critical understanding how context varies across geography.