Current Projects
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A comparative efficacy trial examining the effectiveness of a human-digital program to help people quit menthol cigarettes
In the US, 43.4% of adults who smoke use menthol cigarettes, with menthol use increasing substantially among current cigarette smokers over the past decade. Menthol tobacco use is concentrated in racially and socioeconomically marginalized people.
Wellcentiv is designed to evaluate whether the digital, incentive-based intervention Incentives2Quit (I2Q), used in conjunction with traditional quitline services, can reduce smoking and improve quality of life among people who smoke menthol cigarettes who contact the Quitline. Rooted in contingency management approaches and behavioral economics, this study will assess the potential for a scalable, incentive-driven digital program to enhance the effectiveness of standard smoking cessation approaches for a population disproportionately impacted by tobacco-related harm.
Co-lead investigator: Erin Bonar, PhD
A hybrid human-digital program to help people quit smoking
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and Michigan.
To help people quit smoking, incentive treatments offer rewards for using services and for quitting smoking. Even with the proven success of incentives to help people quit, this treatment is hard to get for most people who smoke cigarettes. Incentives2Quit uses a smartphone delivered incentive treatment to increase participation in services and successful quit attempts. In this program, participants will be provided monetary incentives for calling the MI Quitlink and quitting smoking.
Learn more here.
A prospective observational cohort study of polysubstance use profiles and trajectories
MiBEST is designed to explore the intersections between individual factors, community factors, and social factors of substance use. Using novel assessments to capture detailed polysubstance use and behavioral economic choice preferences, the study will follow up with participants over the course of a year. MiBEST will direct additional attention to treatment barriers, healthcare utilization, and community factors such as treatment availability and county-level data. The goal of this project is to inform practice and policy by providing valuable insight into polysubstance use, which may have significant public health implications.
Co-lead investigator: Lewei Allison Lin, M.D., M.S.
Evaluating digital contingency management to address co-use of alcohol and opioids
Opioid overdose killed more than 80,000 Americans in 2022 and 1 in 6 opioid overdoses involve alcohol. Opioid agonist therapies (methadone, buprenorphine) help reduce overdose risk and are a first-line treatment for opioid use disorder. Alcohol use is highly prevalent among those who use opioid agonist therapies and alcohol increases the risk of mortality. This pilot study, co-lead with Dr. Anne Fernandez, will test the feasibility and acceptability of digital contingency management among Medicaid beneficiaries in Michigan on opioid agonist therapies with co-occurring diagnoses of Opioid Use Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder. The goals of this work are to understand how digital contingency management supports retention on opioid agonist therapies, as well as the impact on opioid and alcohol use.
Co-lead investigator: Anne Fernandez, PhD
PC CARES for At Risk Substance Use
Promoting Community Conversations About Research for Effective Solutions – At-Risk Substance Use (PC CARES-ASU) is an evidence-based community health program designed, supported, and implemented by communities in Alaska. Lead by Dr. Lisa Wexler, PC CARES ASU leverages science and community-cultural strengths to promote upstream prevention efforts to reduce mortality and morbidity associated with at-risk substance use and self-harm. The program is focused on translating research to practice with a focus on harm reduction, health equity, and health promotion. The program model engages the community via distinct Learning Circles where participants are invited to interpret and discuss evidence-based information related to best practices to take action and reduce the burden of polysubstance use. The Learning Circles offer a way to exchange strategies and information that is discussed within each participant’s lived experience and explore actionable strategies to address best practices in real-world day-to-day life. Learn more about PC CARES here: https://www.pc-cares.org/
Co-lead investigator: Lisa M. Wexler, PhD, MSW
A Just-in-time adaptive intervention to reduce cannabis use
MiWaves is a mobile health study seeking to refine a just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) to reduce cannabis use among emerging adults. Real-time data will be used to dynamically adjust a mobile phone app to provide intervention content (including empirically based strategies such as motivational interviewing, mindfulness, etc.) that keeps participants engaged. The MiWaves study will also test the feasibility and acceptability of the mobile health app intervention. Reducing cannabis use among emerging adults could have a major public health impact by preventing health consequences (e.g., injury), the development of substance use disorders, and associated risk behaviors (e.g., drugged driving).
This is a project supported through the d3c: https://d3c.isr.umich.edu/
Julian Alden Weir, Moonlight (c. 1905) [Painting]. National Gallery of Art,
A Remote Behavioral Economics-Based Intervention for Cannabis Use Disorder
Cannabis use disorder (CUD), occurring in about 22% of people who use cannabis, is associated with serious consequences on health and wellbeing. Despite this, fewer than 10% of people living with CUD receive treatment or care for this chronic condition. To improve engagement and accessibility of CUD care, we seek to increase involvement in CUD care by delivering interventions in patient-preferred locations and reducing barriers to attending traditional treatments, including by supporting harm reduction and wellbeing outcomes.
We will evaluate the virtually-delivered behavioral economic-based intervention MI-BE for CUD compared to an enhanced usual care (EUC) control condition in an effort to move the field forward with a novel, patient-centered, scalable approach to address the gap in urgently needed care in the context of rising CUD rates.
Co-lead investigator: Erin Bonar, PhD
Bringing addiction focused training to rural Michigan clinics
The MiSPARC initiative is part of the MI-ACRE Network, a partnership between the MI-ACRE program and community clinics in Michigan. This HRSA-funded RCORP initiative focuses on bringing addiction focused training, implementation facilitation including in the use of contingency management, and direct patient services to rural clinics across 7 Michigan counties.
Co-lead investigator: Lewei Allison Lin, M.D., M.S.
Past Projects
Optimizing mobile behavioral economic interventions for rural risky drinkers
The BETTER Living study was designed to recognize and respond to at-risk alcohol use in rural America, where empirically supported treatments are less available, less accessible, and less affordable. This initial feasibility and acceptability study uses a theory-driven mobile behavioral economic intervention aiming to provide tailored treatment regimens, reduce treatment burden, improve outcomes, and increase access for rural Americans. The long-term goal of this research is to bring accessible, efficacious, and theory-driven treatment to people who at-risk alcohol use in rural regions, reducing disparity in treatment needs.
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