Enhancing Social Connectedness and Ameliorating Loneliness to Prevent and Treat SUD and Support Recovery (R21 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

oThis initiative will fund exploratory or pilot research projects to test interventions that address social connectedness and/or loneliness in order to prevent or treat SUDs or enhance recovery for individuals with SUDs. Interventions funded through this initiative should build on foundational, epidemiologic research on social connectedness and loneliness, and help contribute to a more unified theory about the role of loneliness and social connectedness in substance use and SUDs. Interventions could be delivered at the individual, dyadic, family or community level, and could include telehealth platforms. Community level interventions that focus on structural/environmental changes would be encouraged as a way of addressing social determinants of health. Such interventions could be implemented in a range of settings, including workplace, social media/online, educational, housing, and recovery centers, among others. Ultimately, the goal is to produce user-centered research that provides practical, cost-effective, scalable, and sustainable solutions to addressing substance use and addiction.
Categories: Education, Health.