# Co-Use of Opioid Medications and Alcohol Prevention Study (COAPS)

> **NIH NIH R34** · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · 2024 · $227,679

## Abstract

PUBLIC HEALTH ABSTRACT
 Co-use of alcohol and opioid medications is known to be a serious health/safety hazard—yet persists
despite these negative ramifications. With limited information available within peer-reviewed literature, large-
scale system and clinical research have demonstrated 24-38% of those with alcohol use disorders also have an
opioid addiction, with rates of past 30-day opioid medication misuse among those seeking alcohol treatment as
high as 68%. Our research has shown that among community pharmacy patients receiving opioid medications
for pain management, approximately 20-30% are engaged in co-use of alcohol. Community pharmacy is a highly
valuable but underutilized resource and setting for identification and intervention to address the US opioid epi-
demic. We propose to adapt, manualize, and test the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of an
Alcohol-targeted Brief Intervention-Medication Therapy Management (ABI-MTM) intervention with community
pharmacy patients. ABI-MTM will be a pharmacy-based medication management intervention, combined with
Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to treatment that will target: (1) alcohol use elimination during opioid
treatment OR (2) non-opioid pain management substitution (in consultation with the prescriber). We will conduct
a small-scale trial in 3 community pharmacy locations wherein we will randomize patients with heavy alcohol use
and with non-heavy alcohol use (1-to-1 ratio) to ABI-MTM (n=20) or standard medication counseling (SMC,
n=20). Results will demonstrate intervention acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy. This study will also
work to identify pharmacy system and practice-level barriers and facilitators for universal alcohol screening and
intervention among opioid recipients. We will develop a mixed methods assessment guide to interview pharmacy
technicians (N=20), pharmacists (N=20), and corporate leaders (N=20). Interviews will assess perceptions to-
wards screening/intervention, internal organizational challenges, and processes related to ABI-MTM implemen-
tation for large-scale research and practice. Altogether, results of this study will provide critical insights, founda-
tional data, and strategies for executing a powered trial and possible future system/practice-level implementation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10836408
- **Project number:** 5R34AA029447-03
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- **Principal Investigator:** Gerald T. Cochran
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $227,679
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-05-26 → 2026-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10836408

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10836408, Co-Use of Opioid Medications and Alcohol Prevention Study (COAPS) (5R34AA029447-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10836408. Licensed CC0.

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