Telehealth support to prevent suicide in people with alcohol use disorder in Tanzania
Official title: Adapting a telehealth intervention for suicide prevention among patients with Alcohol Use Disorder in Tanzania
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11218055 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A telehealth, nurse-led counseling program is being adapted to help reduce suicide risk in people with alcohol use disorder who seek emergency care in Tanzania.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $164,317 |
| NIH project number | 1R34MH136175-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11218055 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with alcohol use disorder presenting to emergency departments who are at risk of suicide and are eligible for telehealth-based counseling.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without AUD or those not at risk for suicide may not benefit from this intervention.
What this research studies
This grant aims to adapt an existing telehealth suicide-prevention approach for people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who come to emergency departments in Tanzania. The project focuses on bridging mental health and substance use care through nurse-led telehealth sessions and brief motivational counseling. It builds on prior work that adapted MI-SafeCope for HIV care and will tailor it to the Tanzanian emergency care setting to be resource-efficient and scalable. The study will explore how to implement this intervention in real-world clinical workflows and measure impact on suicide risk and AUD outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could reduce suicide risk among people with AUD and improve access to mental health and substance use care via telehealth in busy emergency settings.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work adapting MI-based telehealth interventions showed promise in related populations, supporting further adaptation for AUD and Tanzanian ED settings.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Knettel, Brandon a — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Knettel, Brandon a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Telehealth support to prevent suicide in people with alcohol use disorder in Tanzania
A telehealth counseling program is being adapted to help reduce suicide risk for people with alcohol use disorder in emergency departments in Tanzania.
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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.