Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2025

Advisor

Jeannette Manger

Abstract

Background: Substance abuse, particularly alcohol and drug use, remains a critical public safety issue in Ohio. Those suffering with abuse disorders are likely to often have accompanying mental health disorders, however, there lies a significant gap in treatment.
Objective: This study examines trends in alcohol-related driving deaths, drug overdose deaths, excessive drinking, and mental health provider availability from 2016 to 2023 in rural and urban counties of Ohio.
Methods: Data collected from the public source, County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, was analyzed using statistical methods to assess changes between 2016 to 2023 for the 88 counties of Ohio. Urban versus rural counties were defined using United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) distinctions.
Results: Key findings include a significant statewide decrease in alcohol-related driving deaths (p=0.013), coupled with an increase in excessive drinking rates (p<0.001). Mental health provider rates improved significantly in both rural and urban counties, narrowing the disparity between the two regions by 2023. However, no significant relationship was found between mental health provider availability and alcohol-related fatalities (r=0.054, p=0.616). Additionally, drug overdose death rates showed no significant difference between rural and urban counties in 2023.

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