Research

Research Program

My first area of research is on the social, structural, and ethical issues surrounding randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for substance use disorders. While RCTs generate compelling empirical evidence for novel interventions, they are particularly challenging to conduct in the field of substance use, as trial participants can experience stigmatization, criminalization, and barriers to care. My dissertation investigated these issues by nesting a qualitative study within a multisite RCT for opioid use disorder to understand the research experiences of people who use drugs (PWUD). Drawing on 115 interviews with trial participants and 26 physicians and staff involved with the trial, I explored: (1) how participant lay-expertise and drug-related stigma shapes medication perceptions and randomization preferences; (2) the instrumental, social, and altruistic influences on decisions to participate in research; and (3) how localized treatment contexts and drug policies across jurisdictions influence study participation and the conduct of research. This work has theoretical linkages to understanding the production of medical knowledge, as well as pragmatic implications for the conduct of research with PWUD and with racialized groups who have been disproportionately targeted by the War on Drugs. My next project in this area is focused on ethical issues among research staff in the field of substance use, with funding from Fordham University and the NIH.

A second component of my research program centers around substance use and health inequities. My research has explored how different forms of work shape health outcomes among PWUD, with quantitative analyses focused on gender-based differences in income generation and on dimensions of informal work. The broader goal of this research is to generate empirical evidence to expand low-threshold work opportunities that meet the needs of marginalized populations facing complex health issues. Additional analyses have addressed issues around healthcare access, including on dental care among PWUD in a presumed “universal” healthcare context and around the role of social networks in accessing HIV-related care. My current work in this area is focused on social and structural factors in access to substance use treatment through ongoing collaborations with colleagues at the University of Michigan.

External Grants

Funded

“Ethical considerations among RCT staff in substance use research,” 2022-2024

Role: Project Lead, PI: Celia Fisher

HIV and Drug Use Prevention Research Ethics Training Institute, Fordham University

National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, #1R25DA031608 ($30,000 USD)