Health consequences of rural illicit drug use: questions without answers.

Previous chapters in this monograph have noted a general lack of epidemiological data concerning illicit drug use in rural America, a lack that extends to the health consequences of substance misuse behaviors among rural dwellers. Urban population studies indicate that the major health risks associated with illicit drug use are hepatitis (users are 12 times as likely as nonusers to contract hepatitis C), tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, various other bacterial infections, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.