Population-level alcohol screening and support for cancer patients to reduce secondary cancer risk
Official title: Implementing Population-level Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for Hazardous Alcohol Use in Routine Cancer Care as a Novel Means of Secondary Cancer Risk Reduction
Funded at University of Kentucky · NIH-11449016 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large study will test a practical program in cancer care to screen for hazardous drinking and connect patients to help, aiming to lower the chance of cancer coming back or new cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project start | August 5, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $610,625 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA308383-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449016 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with head, neck, or esophageal cancer who are receiving care at participating centers and whose drinking patterns meet criteria for screening.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not drink alcohol or those who do not participate in care at the participating sites may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project builds a system inside routine cancer care to screen patients for alcohol use and provide brief advice and referrals. It uses a pragmatic design with randomization to either the SBIRT intervention (MI-TRACS) or enhanced usual care and integrates screening, documentation, and referrals into the electronic health record. The goal is to make alcohol-related conversations and support a standard part of care for head, neck, and esophageal cancer survivors. Results will show how well the approach works in real-world oncology settings and what it means for patient outcomes. It targets clinicians, workflows, and health IT to make ongoing alcohol care feasible in busy clinics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could have better health outcomes through reduced alcohol use and lower risk of cancer recurrence or new cancers.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in cancer care show that structured alcohol screening and brief intervention can be feasible; this study tests a multilevel, EHR-integrated approach in a pragmatic trial.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kentucky
Lexington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mclouth, Laurie — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Mclouth, Laurie
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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.