This Project Grant award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (CFDA 93.279 - Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs) provides $960,696 to New York University (NYU) School of Medicine to conduct research on estimating the prevalence of drug use among older adults. The key objectives are to: 1) Determine if and to what extent saliva and hair testing add to self-reported drug use prevalence, 2) Identify risk factors for discordant self-reported drug use versus biological testing, and 3) Characterize the use of cannabis and other illegal drugs among older adults.
The research will involve administering a rapid drug survey to 300 adults aged 65 or older in New York City, and conducting saliva and hair testing to detect a wide range of drug exposures, including over 100 fentanyl analogs. This interdisciplinary study spanning aging research and drug use epidemiology aims to inform public health responses and improve age-friendly healthcare systems to address the rising issue of psychoactive drug use and its adverse effects in the older adult population. The project will run from September 2024 to August 2026.
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