New Study Reports Alcohol Most Abused Substance In Rural Areas

A new report just published this summer concludes that, despite a surge in the use of the drug methamphetamine and the continued abuse of other drugs, alcohol remains the leading substance abuse problem in rural areas of the U.S.

A new report published in summer 2006, "Substance Abuse in Rural and Small Town America," by the Carsey Institute for Families and Communities at the University of New Hampshire concludes that, despite a surge in the use of the drug methamphetamine and the continued abuse of other drugs, alcohol remains the leading substance abuse problem in rural areas of the U.S. The only group that is at equally high risk for both is Native American youth.

Based on self-reported behaviors gathered in a 2003 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration national survey of rural and urban Americans ages 12 and older, this new study reveals that problem drinking at all ages is far more common than other drug abuse in rural areas. Of those interviewed, nearly 17 percent of young adults between 18 and 25 years old living in rural areas reported a drinking problem, while less than 1 percent reported using methamphetamine or other stimulants. Almost 7 percent of rural youngsters ages 12 to 17 and 5.6 percent of rural adults over 25 reported recent abuse or dependence on alcohol. Stimulant use in these groups was less than a quarter of 1 percent, according to the survey data.

The study shows, in households where children spend time without parents present, drinking is worse among rural youth. Males are nearly twice as likely to report a drinking problem as females and unmarried adults are more likely to report a drinking problem than married adults. Rural adults that live in households with children are more likely to abuse stimulants than their urban counterparts.

States with the highest rates of youth alcohol abuse have the greatest unmet need for alcohol treatment. These states also tend to have large rural populations. To address the different needs of rural populations such as job loss, community dynamics and education opportunities, prevention and treatment programs must be tailored for rural settings, the study concluded.