Kaiser Permanente Washington researchers are exploring how to improve prevention and treatment of health issues due to alcohol and other drug use. The addictions research group conducts innovative research to help patients and their providers prevent and treat problems caused by tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, opioids, and other drugs in health settings.
A major focus of the addictions research group is how to integrate patient-centered care for alcohol and other drug use into medical settings. Over the past three decades, their work has focused on the need for health systems to routinely measure and address alcohol and other drug use as part of whole-person health, in nonjudgmental, patient-centered ways.
"Our alcohol-related research has built tools—such as a brief video, handout, and a patient decision aid—that help overcome stigma so that patients and families can find the help they want and need," says Katharine A. Bradley, MD, MPH, a senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) and internal medicine physician with Washington Permanente Medical Group.
The addictions research group is conducting a variety of studies. "We are working to find ways to easily document the extent of cannabis exposure for both medical and nonmedical use in electronic health records," says Gwen Lapham, PhD, MSW, a KPWHRI assistant investigator. "We are also testing how to get proven online treatments for addiction into the hands of patients who could benefit," says Joseph E. Glass, PhD, MSW, a KPWHRI associate investigator. These are among the group’s current studies:
"We partnered with mental health and primary care leaders at Kaiser Permanente Washington to implement a program that addresses addictions and other common mental health concerns as part of routine primary care," says Amy K. Lee, MPH, a KPWHRI research associate. These are among the studies that the addictions research group has completed:
Lapham GT, Matson TE, Carrell DS, Bobb JF, Luce C, Oliver MM, Ghitza UE, Hsu C, Browne KC, Binswanger IA, Campbell CI, Saxon AJ, Vandrey R, Schauer GL, Pacula RL, Horberg MA, Bailey SR, McClure EA, Bradley KA. Comparison of medical cannabis use reported on a confidential survey vs documented in the electronic health record among primary care patients. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 May 2;5(5):e2211677. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.11677. PubMed
Muench J, Hoopes M, Mayhew M, Pisciotta M, Shortreed SM, Livingston CJ, Von Korff M, DeBar LL. Reduction of long-term opioid prescribing for back pain in community health centers after a Medicaid policy change. J Am Board Fam Med. 2022;35(2):352-369. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2022.02.210306. PubMed
Steel TL, Malte CA, Bradley KA, Hawkins EJ. Benzodiazepine treatment and hospital course of medical inpatients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome in the Veterans Health Administration. Mayo Clin Proc Innov Qual Outcomes. 2022 Feb 15;6(2):126-136. doi:10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2021.11.010. eCollection 2022. PubMed
Smith DH, O’Keefe-Rosetti M, Leo MC, Mayhew M, Benes L, Bonifay A, Deyo RA, Elder CR, Keefe FJ, McMullen C, Owen-Smith A, Trinacty CM, Vollmer WM, DeBar L. Economic evaluation: a randomized pragmatic trial of a primary care-based cognitive behavioral intervention for adults receiving long-term opioids for chronic pain. Med Care. 2022 Mar 30. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001713. Online ahead of print. PubMed
Karnik NS, Marsden J, McCluskey C, Boley RA, Bradley KA, Campbell CI, Curtis ME, Fiellin D, Ghitza U, Hefner K, Hser YI, McHugh RK, McPherson SM, Mooney LJ, Moran LM, Murphy SM, Schwartz RP, Shmueli-Blumberg D, Shulman M, Stephens KA, Watkins KE, Weiss RD, Wu LT. The Opioid Use Disorder Core Outcomes Set (OUD-COS) for treatment research: findings from a Delphi consensus study. Addiction. 2022 Mar 16. doi: 10.1111/add.15875. [Epub ahead of print]. PubMed
![]() Jennifer F. Bobb, PhDAssociate Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Katharine A. Bradley, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() David S. Carrell, PhDAssociate Investigator |
![]() Lynn DeBar, PhDSenior Investigator |
![]() Joseph E. Glass, PhD, MSWAssociate Investigator |
![]() Clarissa Hsu, PhDAssociate Investigator |
![]() Gwen Lapham, PhD, MPH, MSWAssistant Investigator |
![]() Jennifer B. McClure, PhDDirector, Investigative Science |
![]() Julie E. Richards, PhD, MPHSenior Collaborative Scientist |
![]() Paige D. Wartko, PhD, MPHCollaborative Scientist |
![]() Kai Yeung, PharmD, PhDAssistant Investigator |
![]() Yu-Ru Su, PhDAssistant Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Leah K. Hamilton, PhDCollaborative Scientist |
![]() Noorie Hyun, PhDAssistant Biostatistics Investigator |
Emily Williams, PhD, MPH
Investigator
Health Services Research & Development
VA Puget Sound Health Care System