Monday, August 09, 2004

Rural Areas Outpace Urban Areas in Substance Abuse Treatment for Abuse of Narcotic Pain Medications
SAMHSA press release - "Rural areas outpaced urban areas in substance abuse treatment rates for abuse of narcotic painkillers in 2002. This is the conclusion of a new report “Treatment Admissions in Urban and Rural Areas Involving Abuse of Narcotic Painkillers: 2002 Update” released today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration The report finds that while nationwide admissions for abuse of narcotic painkillers increased from 14 per 100,000 population in 1992, to 15 per 100,000 in 1997 to 35 per 100,000 in 2002, the most rural areas of the nation increased from 12 per 100,000 in 1992 to 13 per 100,000 in 1997 to 43 per 100,000 in 2002. This is an increase of 269 percent for non-metropolitan areas without a city, compared to a 155 percent increase for the nation as a whole. Large central metropolitan areas had the smallest increase, 58 percent." See also  
  

Data Show Wide Variation In Addiction Treatment Costs
Psychiatric News story - "Estimated annual costs for substance abuse treatment surpass the $2 billion mark for certain types of facilities, according to new data from SAMHSA. The cost of treating a person for drug or alcohol abuse varies widely depending on the type of treatment used, according to data from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). For example, data from the Alcohol and Drug Services Study Cost Study show that the mean cost per course of treatment was highest for people who received outpatient methadone treatment ($7,415) for addiction to heroin or prescription narcotic pain medications..."