Current Projects

Active Projects:

STARS Network Research Exchange (2022 - 2025)

The Studies To Advance Recovery Support (STARS) Network, is a thematic, stakeholder-focused research network that aims to generate trainings, tools, and platforms targeted to the implementation and study of peer recovery support services for individuals treated with medications for opioid use disorder. The ASRL will work with the STARS Network PIs to collect data for various STARS research projects in the future .

*The STARS Network is supported by the National Institute On Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R24DA051973. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Measurement Matters: A peer-driven pilot study to enumerate the core components of peer recovery support service delivery in five U.S. sub-regions.  (2022 - 2023)

In 2022, ASRL partnered with Dr. Angela Hagaman in the College of Public Health to conduct an evaluation to better understand the role of the peer recovery support specialist (PRSS) in preventing and treating substance use disorder (SUD) and also to learn more about PRSS work settings and professional activities. ASRL worked with Dr. Hagaman to program and administer a web-based survey using Qualtrics software. Data collection is currently ongoing for this project.

Learn about this project: https://www.jeapinitiative.org/pilot-studies/

*The development of this website was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under award number R24DA051950. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Project Publications: 
An examination of peer recovery support specialist work roles and activities within the recovery ecosystems of Central Appalachia
Angela Hagaman, Kelly Foster, Morgan Kidd, & Robert Pack https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16066359.2022.2163387

Evaluation of the South Carolina Initiative to Reduce Unintended Pregnancy (2017 - 2023)

Unintended pregnancy represents a major public health challenge particularly in the US South. A team of researchers at ETSU has been selected to conduct an independent, external evaluation of the Choose Well initiative, a statewide initiative in SC aimed at reducing unintended pregnancy. The evaluation research is informed by the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework, and uses a mixed-methods approach to data collection and analysis. The evaluation includes multiple sub-projects. The results will help to elucidate the impact of the Choose Well initiative on unintended pregnancy and its determinants while advancing knowledge of how individuals and families make reproductive health decisions and how providers can more effectively counsel their patients around family planning.

Projects that ASRL has completed:   Statewide surveys of family planning clinics;  Statewide surveys of primary care providers. 

Leveraging the Workplace for Substance Abuse Prevention Study (RDC - Ongoing)

In 2020, ASRL partnered with Dr. Stephanie Mathics in the College of Public Health to conduct an evaluation substance abuse prevention programs in workplaces acroos the state of Tennessee. ASRL conducted telephone interviews of businesses to learn about their subtance use policies and procedures. ASRL also developed a paper/web survey that was administered to businesses across the state of Tennessee. Analysis is currently underway and preliminary results were presented at the APHA conference in 2022.

Recurring Projects:

ETSU State of the University Survey

Through a partnership with the Office of Institutional Research at ETSU, ASRL administers the SoTU survey to all ETSU faculty/staff/and students. The survey covers a varienty of relevant topics; including satisfaction with ETSU, research support, Community-Engaged Learning, course offerings, health and wellness, in addition to other topics. This survey gathers information about the experiences and opinions of the ETSU community. This information is used to inform policies and procedures at ETSU, as well as give the students, faculty, and staff opportunity to make their voices heard on a variety of topics.  

The Tennessee Poll

ASRL develops and conducts a telephone survey of Tennessee residents that asks about their opinions on things that impact health, education, and quality of life in Tennessee. 

Faculty Research Cohort

In 2020, the Office of Planning and Decision Support, the Provost’s Office, and ASRL partnered to develop a microgrant program that provides a research community to support faculty knowledge skills and abilities related to research design and outcomes. In its first year, it supported five faculty in designing and implementing systematic, rigorous research outcomes. The second cohort completed the program in 2022.  

ETSU Administrative Surveys

The ASRL completes various surveys and projects for the ETSU administration and various other ETSU groups and committees.