Spotlight on Research (Archive)
 

Timothy W. Kinlock, Ph.D.

Buprenorphine-Naloxone Puerto Rico Study Highlighted in NIDA NewsScan  

FRI is pleased to announce that the results of a collaborative study between researchers in Puerto Rico and the Social Research Center, including Timothy W. Kinlock, Ph.D., Michael S. Gordon, D.P.A., and Robert P. Schwartz, M.D., were recently published in a NIDA NewsScan.  This study tested whether treatment with buprenorphine-naloxone could feasibly be initiated with soon-to-be released opioid-addicted prisoners, and whether the treatment would continue in the community and decrease drug use and criminal activities.  Of 45 prisoners who began treatment, 42 continued treatment until release; of these 42, 35 continued treatment in the community by one month post-release.  Key findings indicated that these 35 treatment completers had significantly greater reductions in heroin and cocaine use as well as a reduction in criminal activities compared with those who did not complete the program.  Although the authors caution that this was a small feasibility study without a control group, and that larger-scale future studies are needed, they believe that “the short-term outcomes of this study suggest that treatment with buprenorphine-naloxone may significantly contribute to reductions in readdiction to heroin and in criminal activities among re-entering male offenders.” 

For more information about this study, please click below: 
NIDA NewsScan

Robert Schwartz, M.D

New Grant Awards 

FRI is pleased to announce that the following researchers at its East Coast Social Research Center have recently received grant funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). We would like to congratulate them as they embark on their timely and significant project.    

Principal Investigator Timothy Kinlock, Ph.D., and Co-Investigators Michael Gordon, D.P.A., and Robert Schwartz, M.D., received a five-year grant from NIDA entitled “Prevention of Relapse to Opioid Addiction using Long-Acting Injectable Naltrexone.”  The purpose of this study is to determine whether a monthly injection of naltrexone is practical and useful in the prevention of relapse and when compared to treatment as usual.  This collaborative project will take place in five treatment sites where there is a large population of parolees with a history of opiate addiction: 1) University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA: 2) Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI; 3) New York University/Bellevue, New York, NY; 4) Columbia University, New York, NY; and 5) Friends Research Institute, Baltimore, MD. 

The University of Pennsylvania will be the coordinating site and each site will have a randomization goal of 20 new patients per year over 3.5 to 4 years to accrue a total of 360 to 400 participants.  Treatment outcome will be measured by urine tests, hair analysis, self-report and continuation in treatment.  Both naltrexone and comparison groups will receive equivalent cash incentives to remain in the program.  A benefit-cost analysis will be conducted to compare the costs of the treatment with the quantifiable benefits in terms of reduced crime, re-incarceration and medical services and increased employment.

Michael S. Gordon, D.P.A.

Steven B. Carswell, Ph.

FRI is pleased to announce that the following researchers at its East Coast Social Research Center have recently received grant funding from the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD). 

Principal Investigator Steven B. Carswell, Ph.D., and Co-Investigator Thomas E. Hanlon, Ph.D., recently received funding for the R00 phase of their K99/R00 award.  The primary aim of this three-year continuation entitled “Risk Factors for HIV among Urban African American Youth” is to examine the extent to which specific risk and protective factors predict both perceptions of HIV risk and participation in risky sexual behavior among high-risk African American youth.  These youth, currently attending an Alternative Education Program (AEP), have exhibited academic, school conduct, and behavioral problems.  Participants will be 200 male and female students, between the ages of 12 and 16.  Half of the participants will be assessed the first project year and the remainder assessed in the second year.  This research study has the potential to provide a greater understanding of issues related to perceptions of HIV risk and participation in risky sexual behaviors among high-risk urban African American youth.  Findings from the study will be of significance to the field of public health by filling important knowledge gaps in terms of risk for HIV infection among such youth.

Thomas E. Hanlon, Ph.D.

Cathy J. Reback, Ph.D.

Cathy Reback received her Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1986.  Dr. Reback is both a researcher and community provider.  In addition to her work as a Research Sociologist and Principal Investigator with Friends Research Institute, she is an Associate Research Sociologist with UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (UCLA ISAP) and a Core Scientist with the UCLA Center for HIV Identification, Prevention and Treatment Services (UCLA CHIPTS). Additionally, in 1994, Dr. Reback founded the Prevention Division of the Van Ness Recovery House, which provides HIV and substance abuse prevention programs to out-of-treatment substance users, and continues to serve as its Director.

Currently, Dr. Reback is Principal Investigator on a NIDA-funded study to assess the efficacy of a contingency management for increasing prosocial and healthy behavior and reducing substance abuse among non-treatment seeking substance users, a California HIV/AIDS Research Programs (CHRP)-funded study evaluating a combined evidenced-based cognitive behavioral therapy and contingency management intervention for producing sustained HIV sexual and drug risk reductions among gay and bisexual methamphetamine users (www.friendslabrea.org), and a CDC-funded study evaluating the feasibility and efficacy of an information technology (IT) communication intervention for out-of-treatment MSM methamphetamine users.  Additionally, Dr. Reback is the Director of six county and city-funded HIV risk reduction programs for gay, bisexual and MSM substance users and high-risk transgender women.

Steven B. Carswell, Ph.D.

FRI is pleased to announce that Steven Carswell, Ph.D., a Research Scientist at the SRC, recently received a Pathway to Independence (PI) Award (K99/R00) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is the first award of this kind for FRI.  He will be studying risk factors for HIV among urban African American youth.  This is one of the most prestigious awards that a young investigator can obtain at this stage in the research career.  The primary, long-term, goal of the PI program is to increase and maintain a strong cohort of new and talented NIH-supported independent investigators. 

In addition, Dr. Carswell has recently published a book, which outlines findings from his research regarding delinquency among urban African American youth.  For a detailed view of the front and back cover of this volume, please click on the image below: 

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please click on the direct link to Amazon.com immediately below:
http://www.amazon.com/Delinquency-African-American-Criminal-Justice/dp/1593321953/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200683578&sr=1-6