Raye Litten, Ph.D.; Brett Hagman, Ph.D., Laura Kwako, Ph.D.; Deidra Roach, M.D., and Mariela Shirley, Ph.D.

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) is to advance research on various topics that fall within NIAAA’s Division of Treatment and Recovery Research (DTRR). DTRR’s research interests are wide-ranging but typically encompass broad categories such as health services, behavioral therapies and mechanisms of behavioral change (MOBC), recovery, translational research, and innovative methods and technologies for AUD treatment and recovery. Other areas of interest include topics focusing on special-emphasis and underserved populations. Specific examples include research related to health disparities, age, gender, race and ethnicity, co-occurring disorders, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), cultural adaptations of empirically-supported treatments, and HIV/AIDS. This NOSI is a replacement of the previous expired program announcement, Alcohol Use Disorder: Behavioral Treatment, Services, and Recovery Research PA-18-194 R01, PA-18-201 R03, and PA-18-202 R21.

Background

In the United States, 59 million people exceeded heavy drinking limits within the past year, and 15 million adults were diagnosed with AUD. Unfortunately, of those 15 million, only 1 in 10 received formal treatment for their disorder. Those who did receive treatment rarely received the full menu of options available today for evidence-based treatment, and less than 4 percent were prescribed medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of AUD.

Outcome/Justification

DTTR’s research portfolio seeks to improve these statistics by supporting treatment and recovery research across a broad range of topic areas and populations. These include, but are not limited to, the following proposed outcomes:

• Bridge the gap between those who need treatment and those who receive treatment for alcohol misuse and AUD
• Make progress in implementing evident-based behavioral treatments for AUD into clinical practice • Improve continuing care treatment interventions that aim to support long-term recovery
• Translate key neuroscience research findings into novel behavioral treatments
• Utilize novel technology to expand both the accessibility and reach of a variety of treatment interventions
• Remove barriers that prevent special-emphasis and underserved populations from seeking and receiving appropriate health care and implement effective treatments for this population in a variety of real-world clinical settings

Research Goals

The goals of DTRR to advance research on the following topic areas and special-emphasis populations:

Broad Research Topics 

• Health Services
• Behavioral Therapies and Mechanisms of Behavior Change
• Recovery
• Translational Research
• Innovative Methods and Technologies for AUD Treatment and Recovery

Special-Emphasis and Underserved Populations

• Health Disparities
• AUD Patients with Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Comorbidity
• Women
• Adolescents and Young Adults
• Older Adults
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
• HIV/AIDS