RTI International Engages in Cooperative to Address Excessive Alcohol Use in Texas

Not-for-profit research institute RTI International has been awarded a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to engage in an initiative to promote population health in Texas by increasing capacity in alcohol epidemiology and preventing excessive alcohol use and associated harms.

The 5-year project will aim to prevent excessive alcohol use in the state by enhancing surveillance, communication, and consultation capabilities with the following activities:

• Collecting and analyzing existing data around alcohol use
• Disseminating information to researchers, health practitioners, and the public by using online dashboards, webinars, and publications
• Responding to alcohol-related inquiries and requests for technical assistance from stakeholders and the general public

CDC estimates that 95,000 individuals in the US die each year as a result of excessive alcohol use. The agency has published an Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) application with state-by-state estimates of alcohol-related health impacts, based off of data from 2011-15.

“The first step in addressing excessive alcohol use is understanding what is going on in our communities,” Jessica Cance, MPH, PhD, research public health analyst, said in a news release. “Our partnership with [the Texas State Department of Health Services] will focus on identifying patterns of excessive drinking and, more importantly, factors that may influence those patterns. This will help our community partners successfully intervene and change the trajectory of excessive alcohol use and related harms in Texas.”