NIAAA Encourages Research on Alcohol’s Effect on Aging

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has issued a Notice of Special Interest inviting grant applications proposing to research the life and health span effects of alcohol in the context of level of consumption, consumption pattern, and duration of consumption. This research is of paramount importance today as people over the age of 65—especially women—make up the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population whose alcohol consumption is increasing.

Related: Your In-Laws’ History of Drinking Problems Could Lead to Alcohol Issues of Your Own

Through this notice of special interest, NIAAA encourages:

1. Basic and clinical research defining the effects of alcohol consumption on lifespan, health span, and age-related diseases depending on level of alcohol consumption, drinking pattern, and duration of drinking
2. Research to inform evidence-based guidance for identifying risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD) among older adults as well as prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of AUD in this population
3. Research to extend the health span of older adults who drink and decrease the health care burden of age-related diseases associated with alcohol use

Behavioral scientists may want to take advantage of NIAAA’s support for research which investigates Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) behavioral screening and therapy, or public communication efforts to alert older adults to the adverse effects of alcohol consumption, among other areas.

NIAAA will be accepting applications for this initiative submitted under existing funding opportunity announcements which can be found at the link below. This notice of special interest applies to grants with due dates from October 5, 2020 through September 8, 2023.

To learn more about NIAAA’s “Notice of Special Interest: Alcohol and Aging,” click here.

Do you know NOSI? NIH uses notices of special interest (NOSI) to stimulate research in high-priority and high-opportunity areas of science. They highlight interest in a research area that does not have set-aside funds or special review criteria or review considerations.