Rural/urban differences in chemical dependency treatment. Results from the Minnesota Adult Household Survey

Research at the national level suggests fairly similar rates of substance abuse in rural and urban areas, with data for 1996 showing a slightly higher rate of drug use in urban areas but no difference in the rates of heavy alcohol use. The current study assesses differences between rural and urban areas in substance abuse and dependence, service utilization, and perceived barriers to services in Minnesota. Analysis of responses of a random sample of 7,508 adults stratified by residence reveals few differences between rural and urban settings. While urban residents have a slightly higher (marginally significant) rate of dependence on drugs and rural residents have a significantly greater tendency to talk to clergy about their problem, the subsamples exhibit remarkably similar patterns of abuse, need for treatment, propensity to seek treatment, service utilization, and perceived barriers to treatment.