Understanding how veterans access care for alcohol use and behavioral health
Official title: Multimethod Examination of Individual and Environmental Factors Associated with Alcohol Use and Behavioral Health Care Access Among Veterans
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11617899 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study following 2,000 post-9/11 veterans to see how alcohol use, PTSD, and depression relate to access to behavioral health care over four years.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | August 18, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $951,301 |
| NIH project number | 7R01AA031037-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11617899 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Post-9/11 veterans not currently engaged in VA behavioral health care who have or are at risk for alcohol use and mental health symptoms.
✕Less likely to help
Veterans already fully engaged in VA behavioral health care may see less direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project follows veterans not currently using VA behavioral health services to learn how personal and environmental factors shape care access and treatment engagement. It will start with 65 in-depth interviews to identify key life experiences and barriers, then develop and refine survey questions based on those insights. Participants will complete surveys twice a year for four years, helping researchers capture changes over time in alcohol use and mental health symptoms. The goal is to identify levers that could improve access to effective care for veterans outside the VA system.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could inform programs and policies to improve access to behavioral health care for veterans who drink and have PTSD or depression.
How similar studies have gone: Longitudinal studies with mixed-methods approaches have provided insights into access barriers, but this project adds a wide non-VA veteran sample and qualitative groundwork to tailor measures.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Davis, Jordan P — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Davis, Jordan P
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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.