24/7 anonymous peer-support app for opioid recovery
Increasing Peer Support for OUD Recovery through Digital Health: A National Randomized Controlled Trial
A smartphone app that connects adults in opioid recovery with anonymous, peer-moderated support groups to use alongside their regular care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11160502 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you would be part of a national randomized trial offering an app that provides tailored, anonymous peer support groups available around the clock as an add-on to usual treatment. About 1,300 adults in recovery from opioid use disorder will be recruited online from across the United States and randomly assigned to get the app or continue usual care. Participants complete online surveys and some administrative data linkage, and study staff follow everyone for about six months. The app includes automated language tools to flag urgent or risky posts so peer groups stay safe and constructive.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (age 21 and older) who are in recovery from opioid use disorder and are willing to use a smartphone app and complete online follow-up are the best fit.
Not a fit: People without reliable smartphone or internet access, those who prefer only in-person support, or those with unstable living situations may not gain much from this digital approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make it easier to get continuous peer support, boost treatment engagement, and reduce stress and relapse risk for people recovering from OUD.
How similar studies have performed: Peer support has improved engagement and wellbeing in prior OUD programs, but delivering it via a scalable, NLP-augmented mobile app at national scale is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Providence, United States
- Brown University — Providence, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Beaudoin, Francesca — Brown University
- Study coordinator: Beaudoin, Francesca
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.