Rural methamphetamine users living in the Midwest may be at higher risk than urban users for medical complications related to their methamphetamine use, according to a recent study of adult methamphetamine users receiving services at five Midwestern drug treatment centers.

Rural methamphetamine users were significantly more likely to report ever using the drug intravenously as well as exclusive intravenous use of methamphetamine (i.e., they never used the drug any other way).

In addition, rural methamphetamine users were more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence and to smoke a greater number of cigarettes per day than urban users.

The authors suggest that, “the infectious complications associated with injection drug use and the medical risks associated with greater cigarette use and alcoholism may contribute to a higher frequency of infectious diseases, chronic lung disease, and alcohol-related liver disease in rural than urban methamphetamine users.”

For details, including data charts, source information and caveats, download the PDF file.

Reprinted from CESAR Fax, a weekly, one-page overview of timely substance abuse trends or issues, from The Center on Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) at the University of Maryland.