Improving treatment assessment for opioid use disorder using advanced data methods
Official title: Federated learning methods for heterogeneous and distributed Medicaid data
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-10811726 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how different treatments for opioid use disorder, especially buprenorphine, affect overdose deaths in people across different states, so that patients can get better treatment options and access to medications that fit their needs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $228,777 |
| NIH project number | 5R21DA055672-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10811726 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals receiving Medicaid who are undergoing treatment for opioid use disorder.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not enrolled in Medicaid or those not affected by opioid use disorder may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing innovative federated learning techniques to analyze Medicaid data from multiple states, aiming to enhance the understanding of treatment effects for opioid use disorder (OUD). By utilizing a large-scale distributed research network, the project seeks to identify how different treatments, particularly buprenorphine, impact overdose mortality across diverse populations. The study addresses the challenges posed by varying state policies and aims to provide more precise health strategies tailored to individual needs. Patients may benefit from improved treatment options and better access to medications based on comprehensive data analysis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and personalized treatment strategies for individuals with opioid use disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research utilizing federated learning and large-scale Medicaid data has shown promise in improving treatment assessments, indicating a potential for success in this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tang, Lu — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Tang, Lu
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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.