Kaiser Permanente Washington researchers are exploring how to improve prevention and treatment of health issues due to alcohol and other drug use. The addictions research group conducts innovative research to help patients and their providers prevent and treat problems caused by alcohol, cannabis, opioids, and other drugs in health settings.
A major focus of the addictions research group is how to integrate patient-centered care for alcohol and other drug use into medical settings. For more than 3 decades, their work has focused on the need for health systems to routinely measure and address alcohol and other drug use as part of whole-person health, in nonjudgmental, patient-centered ways.
"Our alcohol-related research has built tools — such as a brief video, handout, and a patient decision aid — that help overcome stigma so that patients and families can find the help they want and need," said Katharine A. Bradley, MD, MPH, a senior investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI) and internal medicine physician with Washington Permanente Medical Group.
The addictions research group is conducting a variety of studies to improve measures and documentation of substance use in the medical record. "We are working to find ways to easily document the extent of cannabis exposure for both medical and nonmedical use in electronic health records," said Gwen Lapham, PhD, MSW, a KPWHRI assistant investigator. Finding innovative ways to provide treatment is also a focus. "We are testing how to get proven online treatments for addiction into the hands of patients who could benefit," said Joseph E. Glass, PhD, MSW, a KPWHRI associate investigator whose research at the institute is funded in part by an early-career award to study the effectiveness of treatments for alcohol use disorders in primary care.
These are among the group’s current studies:
These are among the studies that the addictions research group has completed:
The SPARC trial successfully implemented behavioral health care into primary care. On our website, you can access tools for behavioral health integration, as well as frequently asked questions and publications.
Bradley KA, Jack HE, Simon CB. Increasing opioid use disorder medication treatment in primary care: What works? JAMA Intern Med. 2025 Sep 1;185(9):1090-1091. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.2546. PubMed
McNeely J, Bradley KA, Liebschutz JM, Subramaniam GA. Why is substance use missing from my patient's problem list? CTN research to advance screening, prevention, and treatment of substance use in primary care. J Subst Use Addict Treat. 2025 Aug 8:209780. doi: 10.1016/j.josat.2025.209780 [Epub ahead of print] PubMed
Chen AT, Wang LC, Pike KC, Conway M, Glass JE. Comparing the use experiences, contextual factors, and recovery strategies associated with different substances: An analysis of social media narratives. Subst Use Misuse. 2025 Aug 5:1-12. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2025.2540938 [Epub ahead of print] PubMed
Wolpaw BJ, Oren H, Quinnan-Hostein L, Bradley KA, Johnson NJ, Hallgren KA, Gupta A, Kim HN, Granich MA, Steel TL. Hospital-wide implementation, clinical outcomes, and safety of phenobarbital for alcohol withdrawal. JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Aug 1;8(8):e2528694. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.28694. PubMed
Simon CB, Matson TE, Oliver M, Hallgren KA, Weiss RD, Bradley KA. Primary care patients with opioid use disorder symptoms: Initiation and engagement in treatment with medicine. Ann Fam Med. 2025 Jul 28;23(4):308-314. doi: 10.1370/afm.240440. PubMed
![]() Jennifer F. Bobb, PhDAssociate Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Katharine A. Bradley, MD, MPHSenior Investigator |
![]() Clarissa Hsu, PhDAssociate Investigator |
![]() Gwen Lapham, PhD, MPH, MSWAssistant Investigator |
![]() Julie Angerhofer, PhD, MPHAssociate Investigator |
![]() Paige D. Wartko, PhD, MPHSenior Collaborative Scientist |
![]() Yu-Ru Su, PhDAssociate Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Leah K. Hamilton, PhDSenior Collaborative Scientist |
![]() Noorie Hyun, PhDAssociate Biostatistics Investigator |
![]() Jess Mogk, MPHCollaborative Scientist |
![]() Morgan Justice, MACollaborative Scientist |
![]() Theresa E. Matson, PhD, MPHCollaborative Scientist |
Kevin Hallgren, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
University of Washington
Emily Williams, PhD, MPH
Investigator
Health Services Research & Development
VA Puget Sound Health Care System
Edwin Wong, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Health Services and Population Health
University of Washington