Construction volunteers needed for opioid study

In addition to the coronavirus pandemic, our nation is in the middle of an opioid crisis.

The tough-it-out culture of the building and construction trades, where workers often are prescribed pain killers to help them keep working through injuries and strains, is far from immune to the crisis.

Washington University School of Medicine is seeking research participants who are:

• Currently or previously employed in construction.
• Have been prescribed opioids.
• Have a diagnosis of opioid use disorder (OUD) or are in recovery from OUD.

The purpose of the research is to develop workplace guidelines for employers and organizations to help them develop policies and procedures to reduce opioid use and misuse among their employees and members.

Participation includes a one-hour phone interview. The interview questions will address the individual’s pathway to OUD, employment experiences while using opioids, and re-employment experiences including attempts, failures, and successes. The purpose of these interviews is to incorporate insights from employees’ experiences into guidelines to improve employers’ policies, programs, and practices.

For completing an interview, participants will be paid $40, in the form of either an electronic Amazon gift card or mailed check.

Participation in the study is completely voluntary. Individuals participating in the study can stop at any time without penalty.

To learn more about the study, contact Research Coordinator Sam Biver at 314-325-4386 or email sbiver@wustl.edu.