Telehealth program to ease pain and reduce drinking for people with HIV
Integrated telehealth intervention to reduce chronic pain and unhealthy drinking among people living with HIV
This program uses remote video counseling and support to help people living with HIV manage long-term pain and cut back on unhealthy alcohol use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11171617 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have HIV, chronic pain, and struggle with drinking, this program offers integrated behavioral care delivered by video and phone so you can get help from home. The team combines proven pain-management techniques with strategies to reduce heavy drinking into shorter, easy-to-access telehealth sessions. Materials and coaching are tailored to common barriers for people with HIV, like transportation, stigma, and work or caregiving responsibilities. The project will follow participants over time to see who benefits and how well people stick with the remote program.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults living with HIV who experience chronic pain and unhealthy or heavy alcohol use and who can join video or phone visits are the best fit for this program.
Not a fit: People without HIV, those who do not have chronic pain or unhealthy drinking, or individuals unable to access telehealth (no internet/device or private space) are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce pain and unhealthy drinking, improve daily functioning, and support better HIV-related health outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Behavioral and telehealth treatments have helped reduce pain or alcohol use separately, but combining them into a single remote program specifically for people living with HIV is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University Medical Campus — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Palfai, Tibor P. — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Palfai, Tibor P.
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.