# Prevention of Substance Use in At-risk Students: A Family-centered Web Program

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF OREGON · 2021 · $1,213,204

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
People who inject drugs (PWIDs) are a socially vulnerable population and are exposed to risk factors including
unstable housing and underlying medical conditions such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV),
tuberculosis (TB), and viral hepatitis that put them at increased risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms, including
death. PWIDs also experience barriers such as a history of stigmatization and discrimination by health care
systems and exposure to misinformation about testing that reduces access to health care services and testing.
Because timely receipt of services relative to symptoms onset is critical for positive health outcomes and to
reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission, lack of testing has significant implications for PWID, highlighting an urgent
need to increase testing uptake among this population. Despite this, PWIDs have been an underserved
population in the context of the current pandemic; thus, little is known about the prevalence of COVID-19 and
the acceptability and possible reach of testing for COVID-19 among PWIDs. To address this gap, this study
leverages a current partnership with HIV Alliance (HIVA) in Oregon and our Community and Scientific Advisory
Board to support implementation and sustainability of a COVID-19 testing program. Specifically, we will use
community-based participatory approaches to develop, implement, and evaluate a COVID-19 testing program
offered through HIVA’s Syringe Services Programs (SSP), a natural point of care for PWIDs. Moreover, SSPs
may offer a natural venue for dissemination and delivery of a vaccine, once available. The COVID-19 testing
program will include procedures for sample collection, transmission of specimens to the University of Oregon
CLIA-certified laboratory, and results reporting. For aim 1, we will assess the testing program utilization. For
aim 2, we will develop and test a brief motivational enhancement intervention to optimize testing utilization
among PWIDs. Using an interrupted time series design, we will evaluate intervention effects on utilization of
COVID-19 testing resources. For aim 3, we will collect data from syringe exchange staff and key volunteers on
program acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, adoption, and implementation barriers and facilitators
related to the testing program and intervention. The current project has the potential to enhance COVID-19
testing access and reach among a significantly underserved population who experience multiple risks that
make it difficult to prevent SARS-CoV-2 exposure and transmission and who are at increased risk for severe
COVID-19 symptoms, if they were to contract the disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10258908
- **Project number:** 3R01DA037628-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
- **Principal Investigator:** ELIZABETH A STORMSHAK
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,213,204
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-12-01 → 2022-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10258908

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10258908, Prevention of Substance Use in At-risk Students: A Family-centered Web Program (3R01DA037628-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10258908. Licensed CC0.

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