Helping Everyone Achieve a LifeTime of Health - Future Addiction Scientist Training Program Outcomes.

Abstract

Objectives: Addiction to alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drugs (ATOD) remains a leading cause of cancer and a contributor to diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, disproportionately affecting marginalized and minoritized groups. Social and structural inequities including limited healthcare access, employment instability, inadequate housing, and environmental stressors increase these risks. A diverse scientific workforce is necessary to mitigate ATOD-related health disparities; yet underrepresentation persists in ATOD research. Helping Everyone Achieve a LifeTime of Health-Future Addiction Scientist Training (HEALTH-FAST) is a NIDA funded research education program that aims to reduce ATOD-related disparities by training future scholars in addiction science and health equity.

Methods: From 2021-2023, 8 Doctoral Scholars, 2 Postdoctoral Fellows, and 6 Early-Stage Investigators (44% Black, 19% Hispanic, 63% women; 37.5% disadvantaged and/or first generation) were trained in the HEALTH-FAST Program.

Results: The program achieved its objectives, showing gains in research knowledge (80% increase from baseline to program exit for Doctoral Scholars and 40% for Postdoctoral Fellows and Early-Stage Investigators, respectively), research self-efficacy (37% and 30% increases, respectively), and research preparation (47% and 35% increases, respectively). Scholars rated ATOD research presentations, professional development seminars, and other programming highly. Program satisfaction for both groups fell between 9 and 10; 10 = completely satisfied. As of April 2025, scholars produced 160 peer-reviewed publications and secured 41 grants.

Conclusions: HEALTH-FAST can serve as a model research education program to train historically excluded scholars and diversify the ATOD health equity research workforce to address related health disparities.