Personalized Feedback Intervention for Alcohol and Opioid Use Among Adults With Chronic Pain

Summary

Over one-quarter of American adults engage in hazardous drinking (i.e., a pattern of alcohol consumption that increases risk for harmful consequences), which is the third leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. Rates of hazardous drinking are significantly higher among individuals with (vs. without) chronic pain. Moreover, 20% of individuals prescribed opioids endorse concurrent alcohol and opioid use, which may interfere with chronic pain treatment and lead to dangerous/potentially fatal health effects. No interventions to date have targeted either hazardous drinking or concurrent use of alcohol and opioids in the context of chronic pain. The current four-year R01 builds upon our past work by developing a brief, single-session, computer-based, personalized feedback intervention (PFI) designed to enhance knowledge regarding adverse pain-alcohol-opioid interrelations, increase motivation and intention to reduce hazardous drinking, and reduce positive attitudes and intention regarding concurrent use of alcohol and prescription opioid medications. Specifically, we will develop an integrated PFI for hazardous drinkers with chronic pain who are prescribed opioids (PA-PFI). Our approach will follow a staged model consistent with NIH guidelines for developing and standardizing behavioral interventions. Phase IA activities will involve collecting qualitative and quantitative feedback from three iterative focus groups (N = 21) to refine intervention content and evaluate treatment acceptability and feasibility. Phase IB activities will include a proof-of-concept and highly rigorous randomized clinical trial designed to compare PA-PFI to control PFI (C-PFI) among a sample of 174 hazardous drinkers with chronic pain who are currently prescribed opioid medications. This study represents an important and pivotal step in the larger landscape of translating basic research to more efficacious strategies for reducing hazardous drinking among underserved populations with medical comorbidities. This intervention would be highly disseminable and relevant to millions of hazardous drinkers with chronic pain. Given the collective public health impact of chronic pain, hazardous drinking, and concurrent alcohol-prescription opioid use, we believe the current study will yield findings that enhance scientific knowledge, enhance our understanding of mechanisms in reciprocal pain-alcohol-opioid relations, and inform the development of novel treatments for hazardous drinkers with chronic pain that are adaptable and easily implemented across a variety of healthcare settings.

Conditions

• Alcohol Drinking
• Pain
• Opioid Use
• Feedback, Psychological

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Pain-Alcohol Personalized Feeback Intervention

The intervention will be designed to enhance knowledge regarding adverse pain-alcohol-opioid interrelations as well as increase motivation and intention to reduce hazardous drinking and positive attitudes and intentions regarding concurrent use of alcohol and prescription opioid medications.

BEHAVIORAL

Control Personalized Feedback Intervention

The control intervention will incorporate personalized feedback relevant to exercise and nutrition but not address drinking reduction or pain-alcohol-opioid interrelations.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

  collaborator NIH

• Syracuse University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

21 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2021-07-30

Primary Completion

2025-04-30

Completion

2025-04-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations