Trajectories in Use of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Among Stimulant Users in Rural Areas

Abstract

This study examined substance abuse and mental health service utilization during a three-year period among stimulant users living in rural areas. Participants (N=710) were interviewed at baseline and every six months for 36 months. One-step transition probabilities were constructed between the two types of service use for each consecutive pair of interviews to examine the resulting steady-state probabilities among multiple one-step transition matrices. Most participants received no substance abuse or mental health services. On average, the probabilities of reporting use of the same types of services during the 36-month follow-up were 82% for receiving neither service, 9% for receiving only mental health treatment, 6% for receiving only substance abuse treatment, and 2% for receiving both services. Further study is needed to determine factors that affect the decision to seek mental health or substance abuse treatment among residents of rural communities.