Alcohol Use Disorder and Suicidal Behavior: Finding Why They Occur Together
Official title: The Etiology of Risk: Alcohol Use Disorder and Suicidal Behavior
Funded at Virginia Commonwealth University · NIH-11601596 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study using Swedish population data to understand why alcohol use disorder relates to suicidal thoughts and acts, with the goal of improving risk prediction and prevention.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project start | May 20, 2019 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $165,240 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AA027522-07S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11601596 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with alcohol use disorder or those at risk, and populations in Sweden with linked health and social data.
✕Less likely to help
If you do not have AUD or related risk factors, you may not benefit directly from this research.
What this research studies
This project will use long-term Swedish registry data linked with health, criminal, and socioeconomic records to explore how alcohol use disorder and trauma influence suicidal behavior. The team will apply causal-inference methods to examine mediating and moderating pathways, including comparisons with major depression. A focus on social functioning aims to identify factors that could improve how we assess and mitigate risk for individuals with AUD. The research builds on prior work and seeks four specific aims to clarify mechanisms and inform prevention strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of the pathways linking AUD to suicidal behavior could lead to improved risk assessment and targeted prevention efforts for people with AUD.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in this area has yielded insights, and this renewal aims to build on that foundation with richer data and causal methods.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Edwards, Alexis C — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Edwards, Alexis C
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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.