Editor’s note: Penn State Schuylkill’s Faculty Research Series offers faculty members the opportunity to share and discuss their current research and creative projects with the campus community. The seminars are held monthly throughout the academic year. For more stories like this, visit Faculty Research Series.
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, Pa. — During Penn State Schuylkill’s March Faculty Research Series event, Jessica Saalfield, assistant professor of psychology, presented her research on “The Role of Geography in Substance Use and Misuse,” examining how location influences patterns of alcohol and substance use across different populations.
Saalfield noted that substance use culture in rural areas has historically been understudied, despite the unique challenges these communities face, including economic hardship, limited social opportunities and disparities in access to health care. She also highlighted a lack of consistency in how researchers classify rural and urban areas, which can make it difficult to accurately compare data and draw broad conclusions.
“Geographic categorizations are often treated as uniform, but there is significant diversity both within and across these classifications," Saalfield said.
Her research suggests, she said, that rurality may serve as a risk factor for increased alcohol use both earlier and later in life. However, she emphasized that less attention has been given to how these patterns develop during the college years.
Drawing from studies of teens, young adults and adults, Saalfield explored how substance use behaviors differ based on geographic background. In one recent study examining the role of social determinants of health on alcohol use, she found that college students from rural areas initially reported lower alcohol consumption than their urban peers during their first year. By their junior year, however, those rates tend to equalize.
Additional findings suggest that students with rural backgrounds may drink more frequently and in greater quantities compared to their urban counterparts over time. Saalfield also discussed differences in alcohol use by sex, noting that consumption among female students tends to decrease over time, while use among male students increases.
Saalfield said her research underscores the importance of considering geographic and social factors when studying substance use and developing targeted prevention and intervention strategies.