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Social workers in academic and agency settings have the opportunity to do funded research using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) R03 small grant mechanism designed for discrete, clearly defined projects that can be completed within a 1- to 2-year time period with limited funding. This article describes the R03 mechanism and provides a guide for the developmental steps in writing a successful grant application. It identifies the recent NIH program announcements titled Research on Social Work Practice and Concepts in Health as an extraordinary opportunity for social work researchers seeking R03 funding. The R03 is ideal for new researchers, and the experience of one of the authors illustrates the decision-making and skill-development processes involved in submitting a successful grant proposal.

Objective: A pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) examined effectiveness of HIV/STD Safer Sex Skills Building + Alcohol (SSB+A) intervention for women with Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) in a residential treatment setting. Method: After randomizing thirty-six women with AUDs and reporting having intercourse with a male partner in the past 180 days to SSB+A or HE (standard HIV/STD education) groups, rates of penetrative intercourse with and without condoms at 60 day and 180 day follow-up were compared between SSB+A or HE groups. Results: There was a significant difference in mean number of sex acts with condoms between SSB+A and HE groups over time. Specifically, SSB+A and HE groups did not differ at 60 day follow-up, but at 180 day follow-up, mean sex acts with condoms among SSB+A group was significantly higher than HE. Conclusion: Pilot study findings affirm the effectiveness of the SSB+A in reducing sexual risk behaviors of AUD women and support the need for further research, testing the SSB+A intervention in a larger sample of women and across different treatment modalities. The present study also illustrates the critical link between practice and use of a step by step model of intervention research.

Abstract

Aim
The present study examined patterns and correlates of polysubstance use among individuals with severe alcohol use disorder (AUD).


Methods
Participants were 2785 individuals (63% female; mean age = 43 years, range = 18–78 years) from the Genes, Addiction and Personality Study. All participants met lifetime criteria for severe AUD (6+ symptoms). We used latent class analysis to identify patterns of frequency of lifetime use for cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, stimulants, sedatives, opioids and hallucinogens. A variety of demographic and behavioral correlates of latent class membership were tested in univariable and multivariable models.


Results
A five-class solution was selected: extended range polysubstance use (24.5%); cigarette and marijuana use (18.8%); 'testers,' characterized by high probabilities of smoking 100 or more cigarettes, using marijuana 6+ times, and trying the remaining substances 1–5 times (12.3%); moderate range polysubstance use (17.1%) and minimal use (reference class; 27.3%). In univariable analyses, all potential correlates were related to latent class membership. In the multivariable model, associations with gender, race/ethnicity, age of onset for alcohol problems, dimensions of impulsivity, depressive symptoms, antisocial behavior and family history density of alcohol problems remained significant, though the pattern and strength of associations differed across classes. For instance, sensation-seeking, lack of premeditation and family history were uniquely associated with membership in the extended range polysubstance use class.


Conclusion
Patterns of polysubstance use are differentially related to demographic and behavioral factors among individuals with severe AUD. Assessing use across multiple substances may inform the selection of targets for treatment and prevention.