Clinical trials

Brief motivational interviewing intervention to address alcohol use among diverse teens 12-17.

This study will assess the impact of virtual doula care on birth and postnatal outcomes among rural mothers. The goal of virtual doula services is to improve access to care in underserved communities and decrease urban-rural differences in key maternal health outcomes including mode of birth (cesarean vs vaginal) and birth satisfaction. By implementing a digital randomized controlled trial, the study team will efficiently recruit a national sample of rural pregnant women to provide evidence of the effectiveness of virtual doula care, the appropriateness of virtual visits for different care and support needs, and the role of virtual care in improving maternal health.

Low medication adherence when initiating antiretroviral treatment (ART) is a key barrier to HIV virologic suppression, resulting in avoidable cases of drug resistance, death, and viral transmission. Routinized pill-taking can lead to successful long-term ART adherence, and short-term behavioral economics-based supports are a novel way to overcome the limited success of existing routinization interventions. This study proposes to test this combined approach for promoting long-term ART adherence using a Stage III Sequential, Multiple Assignment, Randomized Trial (SMART) design in one of the largest HIV clinics in Uganda to identify the most cost-effective adaptive intervention that if found effective is generalizable to other settings and other chronic diseases.

The ADAPT-ED study is a two-stage, sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART) to inform the development of an adaptive intervention that is optimally effective in increasing long-term buprenorphine use for adults presenting to the ED with probable opioid use disorder (OUD).

This study will adapt the Game Changers peer advocacy training model for family planning context and pilot test the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of the intervention to empower female contraception users to advocate for contraception use among women in their social networks who have unmet need for contraception.

The United States is facing unprecedented rates of drug overdose deaths, profoundly impacting millions of families who are left to navigate their grief. Those bereaved by overdose experience a unique form of grief characterized by feelings of guilt, shame, and blame, which can worsen their suffering and deter them from seeking help. Individuals coping with overdose loss often endure more severe health consequences compared to those grieving non-drug related deaths, including prolonged grief disorder, substance use disorders, PTSD, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Moreover, bereaved individuals, particularly those with a history of substance use, may engage in risky behaviors as a means of coping, further exacerbating the risk of overdose and mortality within this vulnerable population. Peer grief support interventions have emerged as a promising approach to assist those experiencing such losses. To combat these outcomes, we are collaborating with Peer Community Support Partners (PSCP) in a novel practice-research partnership to implement the RIVER peer grief support model. Though RIVER has shown success in community settings, it has yet to be rigorously evaluated. In a three-aim approach, this study aims to assess the effectiveness of the RIVER model while also enhancing and engaging grievers with support resources via medical examiner offices (MEOs), which routinely contact families during death investigations. This research represents a pivotal advancement in addressing the needs of the overlooked bereaved community, aligning with the NIH's Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) initiative to develop effective strategies against the opioid crisis. Together, community engagement and rigorous research efforts aim to enhance support for those affected by the tragedy of drug overdose.