Longitudinal associations between outpatient medical care use and substance use among rural stimulant users

摘要

Background: Negative views toward substance use treatment among some rural substance users and limited treatment resources in rural areas likely affect substance use utilization. It is therefore important to determine whether accessing healthcare options other than substance use treatment, specifically outpatient medical care (OMC), is associated with reductions in substance use. Objectives: We examined whether use of OMC was associated with reductions in substance use among rural substance users over a three-year period. We also explored whether substance user characteristics, including substance-use severity and related-problems, moderated this potential relationship. Methods: Data were collected from an observational study of 710 (61% male) stimulant users using respondent-driven sampling.