Screening and treating unhealthy alcohol use during surgical care
Official title: Leveraging Alcohol Use Disorder Screening for Treatment in Routine Perioperative Care: AllUsCare
Funded at University of Nebraska Medical Center · NIH-11195537 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will offer alcohol screening and treatment to people having surgery to help reduce risky drinking and improve recovery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $266,550 |
| NIH project number | 5R34AA031020-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11195537 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults scheduled for surgery who drink alcohol or who screen positive for unhealthy alcohol use or alcohol use disorder are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not drink alcohol, are not undergoing surgical care at participating sites, or who decline screening or treatment are unlikely to benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If you are having surgery, you would be asked simple questions about alcohol use during your preoperative visit so clinicians can identify risky drinking. Patients who screen positive would be offered brief counseling, treatment options (including referrals or medications), and connections to follow-up care as part of routine perioperative services. The team will pilot ways to embed these steps into regular surgical workflows so more patients can get help without separate visits. The work will be carried out at surgical clinics affiliated with the University of Nebraska Medical Center to test feasibility and acceptability.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase access to treatment for alcohol use disorder and reduce alcohol-related complications around the time of surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows treating alcohol use can improve health outcomes, but embedding routine screening and treatment into perioperative care is a relatively new approach being piloted.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bartels, Karsten — University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Bartels, Karsten
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Alcohol use screening and treatment in routine perioperative care
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Researchers are studying brain proteins that may contribute to PTSD and alcohol use disorder in US veterans to find new ways to help people who struggle with both conditions.
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.