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NIH grant 1R01AA032817-01A1: Integrated Digital Health Approach to Address Hazardous Alcohol Use and Chronic Pain among Rural Populations
Institute: {'code': 'AA', 'abbreviation': 'NIAAA', 'name': 'National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism', 'admin_org_id': '12500001', 'admin_funding_url': ''}. PI: TIBOR P. PALFAI. Award: $741914.
Start: 2026-09-18T00:00:00.
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Reducing hazardous alcohol use has been identified as one of the primary health care priorities for those who live in rural areas.
Efforts to reduce hazardous drinking are impacted by common co-occurring conditions, notably chronic pain. The occurrence of
chronic pain increases across the spectrum of alcohol use from at-risk drinking to severe alcohol use disorder. Pain represents a
trigger for alcohol use, is linked with the experience of negative alcohol-related consequences, and is associated with poorer
responses to alcohol treatment. Similarly, hazardous alcohol use interferes with pain management efforts among those with chronic
pain and is associated with increased pain sensitivity and treatment dropout. Developing approaches to address their co-
occurrence is of particular importance given their prevalence and reciprocal influences in terms of development, maintenance and
recovery. Efforts to address co-occurring chronic pain and hazardous drinking represent a significant challenge given restricted
health care resources, limited pharmacological approaches to fully address these conditions, and patient motivation and barriers to
engage in treatment regimens that may require multiple clinic visits. An integrated behavioral approach that could address these
conditions while minimizing patient burden and the use of health care resources may significantly improve health outcomes. The
main objective of this proposal is to test the efficacy of an integrated, multimodal technology-based intervention designed to reduce
hazardous drinking and chronic pain among those in rural settings. The intervention utilizes motivational interviewing and cognitive
behavioral strategies to address common mechanisms influencing hazardous drinking and chronic pain while making use of a
variety of technological features including telehealth, a smartphone app, and synchronous messaging to facilitate delivery and
access. This project will consist of two studies. The first study will be a randomized controlled trial conducted with a national sample
of rural participants identified through online screening. In this main study, the primary aim is to test the efficacy of the intervention
on hazardous drinking and pain outcomes. Moderators and mediators of intervention efficacy will also be examined as secondary
aims. Study 2 will seek to obtain perspectives from health care providers regarding barriers and facilitators to implementing the
intervention in rural health care contexts. We will use a mixed methods approach to identify ways that the intervention may be
optimally used in rural health settings. This novel intervention approach has the potential to improve treatment access and
outcomes for hazardous drinking and chronic pain, two central health concerns that have reciprocal influences in rural populations.document fetched 2026-09-27 02:45