# Assessing Functional Outcomes Associated with Reductions in Cannabis Use

> **NIH NIH R33** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $539,935

## Abstract

Abstract / Project Summary
 Evaluations of treatments for substance use disorders (SUDs) have predominantly focused on
abstinence-based primary outcomes, an approach that does not encompass the functional status of patients
who may reduce drug use and experience improvements in health and other functional domains. Identification
of diverse, clinically relevant outcomes for use in future research may advance treatment development for
SUDs. In response to PA 15-099 (Reductions in Illicit Drug Use and Functional Outcomes, R21/R33), this
project will determine if reductions in cannabis use are associated with positive changes in health,
psychosocial, and other functional outcomes in individuals with cannabis use disorder (CUD). The project will
first conduct 2 years of R21 exploratory work followed by 3 years of R33 research to establish the relationships
between reduced cannabis use and improved functional outcomes that are clinically meaningful.
 The aims of the R21 study are: Aim 1. Explore potential functional outcomes across multiple domains
by retrospectively assessing changes in functional status in association with changes in cannabis use among
CUD patients; functional domains that improve with reduced cannabis use will be identified for further
consideration. Aim 2. Identify promising functional outcomes for further examination by prospectively
assessing relationships between patterns of cannabis use and changes in functional outcomes among
treatment-seeking CUD patients, and establish feasibility of assessments and procedures in preparation for the
R33. Effect sizes will be estimated for functional outcomes that improve with reduced cannabis use over a
short period of observation. Promising functional outcomes identified in the R21 phase will be examined for
their relevance and predictive validity in the R33 phase in a larger sample over a longer period of observation.
 The aims of the R33 study are: Aim 1. Determine functional outcomes that demonstrate clinically
meaningful improvement in association with reduced cannabis use. Aim 2. Identify levels and frequencies of
cannabis use associated with clinically meaningful improvements in functional outcomes by prospectively
examining relationships between cannabis use patterns and changes in functional outcomes over time among
treatment-seeking CUD patients. Aim 3 (Exploratory). Identify patient characteristics (e.g., gender,
race/ethnicity) and comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions that influence such relationships.
 The proposed study will efficiently identify functional outcomes demonstrating clinically meaningful
improvement in association with reduced cannabis use by using innovative methodologies and longitudinal
approaches to systematically assess multiple functional domains (health, mental health, social health, cognitive
function, HIV risk, quality of life), and by applying multiple measurement methods (biomedical, self-report) and
advanced statistical approaches. Project findin...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9854903
- **Project number:** 5R33DA042280-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** YIH-ING HSER
- **Activity code:** R33 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $539,935
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-08-01 → 2022-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9854903

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9854903, Assessing Functional Outcomes Associated with Reductions in Cannabis Use (5R33DA042280-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9854903. Licensed CC0.

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