MedSMA℞T Families: a family game teaching teens and parents about opioid safety in the emergency room
Disseminating and Implementing MedSMA℞T Families in Emergency Departments: A Randomized Control Trial to Assess Effectiveness of an Evidence-Based Gaming Intervention to Reduce Opioid Misuse
A short digital family game offered in emergency departments to help teens (ages 12-18) and their parents learn to store, use, and talk about prescription opioids safely.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11193966 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be invited to play MedSMA℞T, a brief digital game for families, when you visit a participating emergency department where an adult in your household receives an opioid prescription. The game is made for teens (12-18) and their parents to build knowledge about safe storage, proper use, and how to have conversations about opioids. Families will be randomly assigned to play the game now or receive usual care, and researchers will collect short surveys and follow-up information to see whether families change knowledge, communication, and storage behaviors over time. The team is adapting the game with input from families and delivering the program at partnering EDs through a collaboration with UW Health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are teens aged 12 to 18 and their parent or guardian who are present at participating emergency departments when an adult in the household is prescribed an opioid.
Not a fit: Families who are not visiting a participating ED, children under 12, or households unable to use digital tools are unlikely to access or benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help families prevent teen opioid misuse by improving safety practices, parent-teen communication, and safe medication storage.
How similar studies have performed: Brief ED-based education and digital interventions have shown promise for changing knowledge and behavior, but using a family-focused game specifically to prevent teen opioid misuse is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Lexington, United States
- University of Kentucky — Lexington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abraham, Olufunmilola — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Abraham, Olufunmilola
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.