Study shows rural veterans are prescribed “dramatically” more opioids
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April 2, 2025 - 11:24 PM
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Rural veterans prescribed “dramatically more opioids, study finds
The day's local, regional and national news, detailed events and late-breaking stories are presented by the ABC 6 News Team, along with the latest sports, weather updates including the extended forecast.
(ABC 6 News) — When it comes to managing pain, there is a big difference in what veterans are being prescribed.
A study done by the VA Healthcare System first started in Iowa but has since spread across the country.
The data has found that veterans living in rural areas were being prescribed opioids 45% more than veterans living in urban areas.
The study was mostly observational, but there are some theories about the results.
“The literature does suggest that veterans who live in rural areas do experience increased barriers to care. If you think about driving distance and the time that’s associated with that, there are some challenges that come up for veterans in rural areas,” said Dr. Rena Courtney, a lead researcher for the study.
The VA is trying to combat this by getting more specialty care in small communities at rural VA centers.