Research

We study the predictors and effects of harmful or high-risk alcohol use, and we identify the most effective and cost-effective prevention and treatment interventions. We are especially concerned about vulnerable populations, such as cancer survivors who face unique risks with alcohol consumption.

Published studies

• Avanceña ALV, Lai JH, Velasquez MM, Zigler CM, Frei CR, Pignone M. Alcohol use disorder treatment initiation among US adult cancer survivors with commercial insurance: a cohort study. Ann Intern Med. 2025, online ahead of print.

• Okoye G, Gopalakrishnan EC, Park C, Avanceña ALV. Risk of hospital readmission and mortality among alcohol-related cancer survivors with alcohol use disorder. J Addict Med., 2025, online head of print.

• Heng JH, Avanceña ALV, Nguyen MHK, Velasquez MM, Zigler CM, Frei CR, Pignone M. Trends, timing, and predictors of alcohol use disorder treatment initiation among cancer survivors in the United States. J Intern Med. 2025;298(6):670-685.

• Avanceña ALV, Lai JH, Velasquez MM, Zigler CM, Frei CR, Pignone M. Trends in prevalence and correlates of alcohol use disorder diagnoses among US adult cancer survivors: serial cross-sectional analysis. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2025;23(5):156-163.

• Lai JH, Han S, Park C, Avanceña ALV. Association between alcohol use disorder and hospital readmission rates and outcomes in cancer survivors: a population cohort study. J Natl Compr Canc Netw. 2024;22(1):e237076. 

Works in progress

• Effectiveness of public health interventions to prevent alcohol-associated cancers: a systematic scoping review (with Basu P and Julien J)

• Costs and healthcare utilization associated with alcohol use disorder: a cohort study (with Brendle M and Julien J)

• Cost-effectiveness of targeted oral naltrexone for alcohol use disorder (with Parameshwar D, Kuo T, Brendle M, and Santos GM)

We investigate the value of novel psychedelic therapies for various mental health conditions, especially major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders (SUDs). We identify the "fair" or "value-based" price of psychedelic therapies to ensure affordability and fair access.

Published studies

• Avanceña ALV, Vuong L, Kahn JG, Marseille E. Psilocybin-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant depression in the US: a model-based cost-effectiveness analysis. Transl Psych. 2025;15(1):330.

• Avanceña ALV, Kahn JG, Marseille E. The costs and health benefits of expanded access to MDMA-assisted therapy for chronic and severe PTSD in the USA: a modeling study. Clin Drug Investig. 2022 Mar;42(3):243-252. 

Works in progress

• Pharmacy and psychedelic therapy: current and future role of pharmacists (with Jenkins J, Zalmai R, Brendle M, Catanzano S, Vadiei N, and Crismon ML)

• Cost-effectiveness of psilocybin-assisted therapy for alcohol use disorder (with Brendle M, Parameshwar D, Kuo T, Marseille E, Kahn JG, and Bogenshutz M)

• Cost-effectiveness of psilocybin-assisted therapy for major depressive disorder (with Bhagat I, Vuong L, Kahn JG, and Marseille E)

• Cost-effectiveness of psilocybin-assisted therapy for difficult-to-treat depression (with Bhagat I, Kahn JG, and Marseille E)

We examine the effect of substance use disorders, including alcohol use disorder and stimulant use disorder, on the risk of HIV, use of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and HIV treatment outcomes.

Published research

• Avanceña ALV, Okoye G, Yokananth R, Norwood A, Schnarrs PW, Barner JC. Alcohol use disorder diagnoses and HIV preexposure prophylaxis adherence and continuation: a retrospective cohort study. J Gen Intern Med., accepted.

• Avanceña ALV, Okoye G, Yokananth R, Norwood A, Schnarrs PW. Prevalence and correlates of alcohol use disorder diagnoses among users of HIV preexposure prophylaxis. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(4):e257295.

Works in progress

• Alcohol use and the care continuum for HIV preexposure prophylaxis: an updated scoping review of research and interventions (with Yokananth R, Zalmai R, and Okoye G)

• Longitudinal adherence to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and initiation of alcohol use disorder treatment (with Okoye G, Damachi U, and Barner JC)

• Alcohol use disorder diagnosis and its impact on HIV PrEP adherence and continuation: evidence from a Medicaid population (with Okoye G, Okoye B, Yokananth R, Norwood A, Schnarrs PW, and Barner JC)

• Effect of alcohol use on adherence to HIV preexposure prophylaxis: a meta-analysis (with Yokananth R, Okoye G, Zalmai R, and Okoye B), in progress.

We assess the health and economic burden of various substance use disorders, especially opioid use disorder, and determine the most effective and cost-effective treatments.

Published studies

• Jeminiwa RN, Avanceña ALV, Hand DJ. Cost-effectiveness of split-dose methadone, single-dose methadone, and buprenorphine in the treatment of opioid use disorder during pregnancy. J Subst Use Addict Treat., epub ahead of print.

Works in progress

• Predictors of buprenorphine treatment retention among privately insured adults with opioid use disorder (Zalmai R, Baffoe J, Hill LG, Loera LJ, and Johnsrud M), in progress.

• The cost of limb loss procedures in inpatients with opioid use disorder (with Bone C, Park C, and Okoye G), in progress.

• Factors associated with limb loss procedures among inpatients with opioid use disorder (with Bone C, Park C, and Okoye G), in progress.

• Trends in diagnoses, services, and healthcare costs among inpatients with opioid use disorder (with Bone C, Park C, and Okoye G), in progress.