# Personalized feedback intervention to address hazardous drinking and alcohol-opioid interactions among adults with chronic pain

> **NIH NIH R01** · SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $306,966

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Over one-quarter of American adults engage in hazardous drinking (i.e., a pattern of alcohol consumption that
increases risk for harmful consequences), which is the third leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.
Rates of hazardous drinking are significantly higher among individuals with (vs. without) chronic pain.
Moreover, 20% of individuals prescribed opioids endorse concurrent alcohol and opioid use, which may
interfere with chronic pain treatment and lead to dangerous/potentially fatal health effects. No interventions to
date have targeted either hazardous drinking or concurrent use of alcohol and opioids in the context of chronic
pain. The current four-year R01 proposal builds upon our past work by developing a brief, single-session,
computer-based, personalized feedback intervention (PFI) designed to enhance knowledge regarding adverse
pain-alcohol-opioid interrelations, increase motivation and intention to reduce hazardous drinking, and reduce
positive attitudes and intention regarding concurrent use of alcohol and prescription opioid medications.
Specifically, we are proposing to develop an integrated PFI for hazardous drinkers with chronic pain who are
prescribed opioids (PA-PFI). Our approach will follow a staged model consistent with NIH guidelines for
developing and standardizing behavioral interventions. Phase IA activities will involve collecting qualitative and
quantitative feedback from three iterative focus groups (N = 21) to refine intervention content and evaluate
treatment acceptability and feasibility. Phase IB activities will include a proof-of-concept and highly rigorous
randomized clinical trial designed to compare PA-PFI to control PFI (C-PFI) among a sample of 174 hazardous
drinkers with chronic pain who are currently prescribed opioid medications. This study represents an important
and pivotal step in the larger landscape of translating basic research to more efficacious strategies for reducing
hazardous drinking among underserved populations with medical comorbidities. The proposed intervention
would be highly disseminable and relevant to millions of hazardous drinkers with chronic pain. Given the
collective public health impact of chronic pain, hazardous drinking, and concurrent alcohol-prescription opioid
use, we believe the proposed study will yield findings that enhance scientific knowledge, enhance our
understanding of mechanisms in reciprocal pain-alcohol-opioid relations, and inform the development of novel
treatments for hazardous drinkers with chronic pain that are adaptable and easily implemented across a variety
of healthcare settings.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10248535
- **Project number:** 5R01AA028639-02
- **Recipient organization:** SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** JOSEPH W. DITRE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $306,966
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10248535

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10248535, Personalized feedback intervention to address hazardous drinking and alcohol-opioid interactions among adults with chronic pain (5R01AA028639-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10248535. Licensed CC0.

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