Utilization of Rural Substance Abuse Treatment: Methamphetamine vs. Other Stimulant Users

The purpose of this study is to use a modified version of the Anderson and Newman (1973) model of health service utilization to identify the significant correlates of substance abuse treatment recidivism, after profiling differences between methamphetamine and other stimulant users. Data were collected from face-to-face interviews with recent stimulant users (past 30 days) in rural Ohio, Arkansas, and Kentucky (n=714). Bivariate analyses distinguished differences in substance use and retrospective service utilization patterns between methamphetamine and other stimulant users. Results from the negative binomial regression indicated that selected predisposing factors, historical health factors, potential enabling factors, and current illness factors significantly promoted the utilization of substance abuse treatment. Despite high levels of recent and lifetime self-reported substance use among these rural stimulant users, treatment services were underutilized. Future studies are needed to examine substance abuse treatment in order to increase treatment utilization in rural areas.