Understanding medication information needs for opioid use disorder on social media
Official title: Characterizing Information Needs and Peer Engagement Regarding Medication for Opioid Use Disorder on Social Media
Funded at Dartmouth College · NIH-11058063 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how people with Opioid Use Disorder share and find information about treatments like buprenorphine and methadone on Reddit, so we can better understand their needs and improve access to helpful medication.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hanover, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | September 29, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $451,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DA059665-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11058063 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with Opioid Use Disorder who are seeking information about medication treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not engaged with social media or do not have access to online platforms may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how individuals with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) seek and share information about medications like buprenorphine and methadone on social media platforms, particularly Reddit. By using advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, the project aims to identify and classify the specific information needs expressed by users regarding these treatments. The findings will help improve access to and the quality of medication treatment for OUD by addressing the gaps in information that patients face. The research will involve analyzing a large dataset of Reddit posts to extract clinically relevant insights.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance the understanding of patient information needs, leading to better access to effective treatments for opioid use disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in using social media data to understand patient needs, making this approach both relevant and promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Dartmouth College
Hanover, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Preum, Sarah Masud — Dartmouth College
- Study coordinator: Preum, Sarah Masud
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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.