TY - RPRT
KW - Veterans -- Services for -- United States -- Evaluation
KW - Substance abuse -- Treatment -- United States
KW - Veterans -- Medical care -- United States -- Evaluation
KW - Medicine, Rural -- United States
KW - Health Services Accessibility -- United States
KW - Opioid abuse -- Treatment -- United States
KW - Health Services Accessibility
KW - Medicine, Rural
KW - Opioid abuse -- Treatment
KW - Substance abuse -- Treatment
KW - Veterans -- Medical care -- Evaluation
KW - Veterans -- Services for -- Evaluation
KW - United States
AU - United States Government Accountability Office
A1 - 
AB - Substance use and illicit drug use are a growing problem in the United States. SUDs occur when the recurrent use of alcohol or drugs causes significant impairment, such as health problems. The veteran population has been particularly at risk. Veterans are 1.5 times more likely to die from opioid overdose than the general population, according to VA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Furthermore, veterans live in rural areas at a higher rate than the general population, which may affect their ability to access SUD services. VA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care to about 6.2 million veterans. VA provides SUD services through outpatient, inpatient, and residential care settings and offers various treatment options, including individual and group therapy, medication-assisted treatment, and naloxone kits to reverse overdoses. This report describes (1) trends in the number of and expenditures for veterans receiving SUD services, including specialty SUD services; and (2) any differences between veterans' use of SUD services in rural and urban areas, and the issues affecting access to those services in rural areas.; Background. -- Number of veterans receiving, and expenditures for, VHA specialty SUD services have remained unchanged in recent years, community care SUD services have increased. -- Veterans' usage differed between urban and rural areas for some specialty SUD services; VHA is taking steps to address access issues in rural areas. -- Agency comments. -- Appendices.
C4 - This grey literature reference is included in the Academy's Literature Collection in keeping with our mission to gather all sources of information on integration. Grey literature is comprised of materials that are not made available through traditional publishing avenues. Often, the information from unpublished resources can be limited and the risk of bias cannot be determined.
C5 - Grey Literature; Healthcare Disparities; Opioids & Substance Use
LA - English
M1 - Report
N2 - Substance use and illicit drug use are a growing problem in the United States. SUDs occur when the recurrent use of alcohol or drugs causes significant impairment, such as health problems. The veteran population has been particularly at risk. Veterans are 1.5 times more likely to die from opioid overdose than the general population, according to VA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Furthermore, veterans live in rural areas at a higher rate than the general population, which may affect their ability to access SUD services. VA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care to about 6.2 million veterans. VA provides SUD services through outpatient, inpatient, and residential care settings and offers various treatment options, including individual and group therapy, medication-assisted treatment, and naloxone kits to reverse overdoses. This report describes (1) trends in the number of and expenditures for veterans receiving SUD services, including specialty SUD services; and (2) any differences between veterans' use of SUD services in rural and urban areas, and the issues affecting access to those services in rural areas.; Background. -- Number of veterans receiving, and expenditures for, VHA specialty SUD services have remained unchanged in recent years, community care SUD services have increased. -- Veterans' usage differed between urban and rural areas for some specialty SUD services; VHA is taking steps to address access issues in rural areas. -- Agency comments. -- Appendices.
PY - 2020
RN - https://www.gao.gov/assets/710/702940.pdf
T1 - Veterans health care: Services for substance use disorders, and efforts to address access issues in rural areas. Report to Congressional Committees
TI - Veterans health care: Services for substance use disorders, and efforts to address access issues in rural areas. Report to Congressional Committees
U1 - Grey Literature; Healthcare Disparities; Opioids & Substance Use
U4 - This grey literature reference is included in the Academy's Literature Collection in keeping with our mission to gather all sources of information on integration. Grey literature is comprised of materials that are not made available through traditional publishing avenues. Often, the information from unpublished resources can be limited and the risk of bias cannot be determined.
U5 - https://www.gao.gov/assets/710/702940.pdf
UR - https://www.gao.gov/assets/710/702940.pdf
VL - GAO-20-35
Y1 - 2020
ER -