Supporting people who respond to overdoses and improving naloxone programs
Official title: A network-based, mixed methods study to identify and support multiple overdose responders and inform overdose prevention interventions
Funded at University of Nevada Reno · NIH-11379168 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will follow people who use drugs in Reno to learn what helps them carry and use naloxone so more overdoses get reversed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nevada Reno NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Reno, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $596,508 |
| NIH project number | 4R01DA057682-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11379168 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who currently use drugs in the Reno, Nevada area, especially those who have access to naloxone or have witnessed or responded to overdoses, are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not use drugs, live outside the Reno area, or are unwilling to take part in surveys or interviews are unlikely to directly benefit from participating.
What this research studies
You would be invited to join a study of 300 people who use drugs in Reno that combines regular surveys, interviews, and mapping of social connections over time. The team will collect information about your drug use, whether you carry naloxone, your social network, and any overdose responses you take part in. Some participants will do in-depth interviews about positive and negative experiences of responding to overdoses. The researchers will try out and ask your opinions about possible supports or interventions to help people keep responding and to encourage others to start.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better support and programs so more people carry and use naloxone and fewer overdoses are fatal.
How similar studies have gone: Naloxone distribution programs have reduced overdose deaths in other settings, but using social-network analysis and mixed methods to support repeat responders is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nevada Reno
Reno, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wagner, Karla D. — University of Nevada Reno
- Study coordinator: Wagner, Karla D.
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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.