Amy Yadgar
Research Mentor: Autumn Rae Florimbio
Mentor Department: Department of Psychiatry, Medicine
Author(s): Amy Yadgar, Anna Buswinka, Autumn Rae Florimbio
Session: Session 7 (4:00 PM – 4:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 4
Abstract
Cannabis and alcohol use among U.S. emerging adults (EAs; ages 18-25) is widespread. Around 25% report using cannabis and almost 50% report consuming alcohol in the past month, with higher rates for LGB+ EAs (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2023). Co-use of both substances is also prevalent among EAs, especially LGB+ college students; 31% report past-month cannabis and alcohol co-use (SAMHSA, 2023). Previous research, however, has not identified interventions specifically focused on co-use or tailored to the unique experiences of LGB+ individuals. This study aims to create a new digital health intervention for LGB+ EAs with recent cannabis and alcohol co-use, drawing from empirically supported methods for addressing substance use (such as cognitive behavioral techniques). The study team created content for the smartphone application that will be used in the study, as survey design and content creation will be vital in finalizing the app for a future pilot trial. Content creation is ongoing and iterative refinement will occur between participant waves. Eligible participants (determined by responses to a screening survey) who provide consent will be enrolled in a 4-week app testing period. Participants will be enrolled in multiple waves to test the app before a future trial takes place. They will engage with app content on substance use, mental health, intervention strategies, and peer messaging, with their final study task being to provide feedback on the app. Ultimately, findings from the end-user testing waves will provide insights on the acceptability of the app and digital health interventions that include personalized content for this population. These findings will inform both future study trials and assist future researchers in creating interventions to reduce the prevalence of co-use and its negative effects. References: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023). 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Releases | CBHSQ Data. Samhsa.gov. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/data-we-collect/nsduh-national-survey-drug-use-and-health/national-releases/2023
