An Analysis of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disparities & Access to Treatment Services in the Appalachian Region

August 2008
National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, and East Tennessee State University

This report presents an analysis of disparities in mental health status and substance abuse prevalence, as well as access to treatment services, in the 410-county Appalachian Region comprising all or parts of 13 states. The aim of this research is to assist regional policy makers and public health practitioners in improving surveillance, research and health education, as well as to more effectively target investments designed to improve the delivery of substance abuse and mental health treatment and treatment outcomes.

Full Report in PDF (4.4 MB)

Report Contents

Table of Contents and Executive Summary

Chapter 1: Introduction (PDF: 131 KB)

Chapter 2: Substance Use, Mental Disorders, and Access to Treatment Services in Household Surveys, 2002 -- 2005 (PDF: 3.2 MB)

Chapter 3: Patient Admissions to Treatment for Abuse of Alcohol and Drugs in Appalachia, 2000 -- 2004 (PDF: 468 KB)

Chapter 4: Substance Use and Mental Health Disorder Discharges from Appalachian and Other Community Hospitals in 2004 (PDF: 194 KB)

Chapter 5: Substance Abuse Treatment Services in the Appalachian Region, 2005 (PDF: 196 KB)

Chapter 6: Substance Abuse and Mental Health – A Comparison of Appalachian Coal Mining Areas to Other Areas within the Appalachian Region (PDF: 76 KB)

Chapter 7: Case Study Analysis of Disparities in Mental Health Status and Substance Abuse Prevalence in the Appalachian Region and Access to Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services (PDF: 158 KB)

Chapter 8: Conclusions (PDF: 80 KB)

Appendix (PDF: 405 KB)