Cutting back alcohol use around elective surgery
Reducing Alcohol use among Elective Surgical Patients using Adaptive Interventions
This project compares virtual coaching to enhanced usual care to help adults who drink more than two drinks a day reduce alcohol use before and after elective surgery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11324507 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be an adult scheduled for elective surgery who drinks more than two drinks a day. Before your operation, participants are randomly assigned to either virtual coaching sessions or enhanced usual care. The study uses a stepwise plan that changes the type or intensity of help after surgery based on whether you respond early to the first treatment. Researchers will track alcohol use, surgical complications, and length of hospital stay to see which approach works best.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) having elective surgery who report high-risk alcohol use (more than two drinks per day) are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People who do not drink at high-risk levels, are under 21, or are having emergency (non-elective) surgery are unlikely to qualify or receive direct benefit from this trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help surgical patients cut alcohol use and reduce postoperative complications and hospital stays.
How similar studies have performed: Brief alcohol interventions around medical care have shown mixed results, so using adaptive virtual coaching tailored during the surgical episode is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fernandez, Anne Christie — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Fernandez, Anne Christie
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.