Using health records to better identify and understand substance use disorders
Framework to Accelerate Substance Use Disorder Genetic Studies through Customizable, EHR-Based Precision Phenotyping
This project builds tools that use electronic health records to more accurately find people with substance use problems so researchers can study genetic contributors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11171719 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You should know this project creates a system that combines billing codes, medication records, and doctors' notes to give a probability score for substance use disorder instead of a simple yes/no label. The team will test the method across multiple hospitals and make it customizable for different research needs. They will link these refined health-record profiles to genetic data to look for inherited risk factors. The goal is to make the method portable so other centers can use it to support larger genetic studies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with a history of substance use whose electronic health records (and where available, genetic data) are accessible to participating health systems.
Not a fit: People without linked medical records or genetic data, or those not seen at participating hospitals, are unlikely to be involved or to see direct benefits from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed discovery of genetic risks for addiction and help develop risk scores or clinical tools to guide prevention and treatment.
How similar studies have performed: EHR-based phenotyping and genetics studies have worked well for some conditions, but applying a multi-source probabilistic approach specifically to substance use disorders is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jeffery, Alvin Dean — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Jeffery, Alvin Dean
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.