CDC: Opioid prescriptions 87% more likely in rural areas

• 3 year-period of data used in this study
• residents of *most* rural areas are more likely to recieve opioid prescriptions than those in urban areas. 
• 9.6% of residents in the *most* rural counties received opioid prescriptions vs. 5.2% of residents in large metropolitan counites
• residents of rural areas a *generally* more vulnerable when it comes to various elements of prescription drug use/treatment/drug monitoring programs/acess to alternative therapies.
• this study demonstrates that leveraging EHR data to supplement traditional forms of surveillance can be used to improve workflows while addressing the opioid crisis. 

Full article: https://www.healio.com/farural mily-medicine/pain-management/news/online/%7Beceab110-39b1-4928-afb5-969af9c0c3dc%7D/cdc-opioid-prescriptions-87-more-likely-in-rural-areas