Addiction Research
The addiction research programme led by Professor Jo-Hanna Ivers at the Discipline of Public Health & Primary Care, Trinity College Dublin is grounded at the intersection of neuroscience and addiction and is informed by a bio psycho social model of health. The research programme generates actionable evidence to strengthen Ireland’s response to substance use across policy, practice, and population health, recognising addiction as a complex condition shaped by biological, psychological, social, and structural determinants.
A defining feature of this work is its focus on translation, ensuring that research moves beyond knowledge generation to system level impact. Through national infrastructure programmes such as the Addiction Research Network Ireland and ENGAGED: Co Creating Ireland’s Public Engagement and Open Research Roadmap, the programme is building coordinated, transdisciplinary platforms that strengthen research capacity, support evidence informed decision making, and embed public engagement and open research principles across the system.
Complementary projects address critical gaps in policy and service delivery, including drug related stigma, evolving opioid treatment needs, fatal and non-fatal overdose, social exclusion, and health system responses for vulnerable populations. These studies generate insights that are directly applicable to clinical pathways, service design, and national policy reform.
Collectively, this body of work advances an equitable, compassionate, and health led response to addiction. It amplifies lived experience, strengthens system preparedness, and supports the development of interventions and policies that improve health outcomes. In doing so, it positions Ireland as an internationally engaged leader in addiction science, public health innovation, and research system transformation.
PI: Jo-Hanna Ivers
Collaborators: National and international partners across academia, policy, services, and lived experience groups
Funding: Health Research Board (HRB)
Objective: To establish a national, coordinated addiction research network that strengthens research capacity and supports evidence-informed policy and practice in Ireland.
Key Components: ARNI is a national, transdisciplinary initiative led by Trinity College Dublin, designed to connect a fragmented research landscape. It brings together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and people with lived experience to co-produce a strategic research agenda. Core outputs include a national action plan (2026–2028), a researcher directory, and a programme of collaborative workshops. The network places a strong emphasis on equity, inclusion, and knowledge translation.
Research Design: The project combines a national audit of addiction research activity with structured stakeholder engagement. Five collective intelligence workshops will identify national research priorities and inform strategic planning. A national researcher directory will map expertise and support collaboration. Outputs will be synthesised into a coordinated, policy-relevant action plan.
Impact: ARNI will transform how addiction research is coordinated and applied in Ireland. It will strengthen national research infrastructure, support evidence-informed decision making, and enhance Ireland’s capacity to respond to emerging drug trends. The network will position Ireland as a connected and internationally engaged leader in addiction science.
PI: Jo-Hanna Ivers
Collaborators:
Policy stakeholders, community organisations, and people with lived and living experience
Funding:
National Office of Social Inclusion
Objective:
To develop an evidence-informed national strategy to reduce drug-related stigma and its impact on health, wellbeing, and service access.
Key Components: Drug-related stigma is a significant barrier to care, shaping health outcomes and social inclusion. This project examines stigma as both a social and structural issue, including the role of criminalisation in reinforcing harm. It foregrounds the importance of lived experience and the evidence that meaningful engagement can shift public attitudes. The work situates stigma reduction as central to an effective public health response.
Research Design: The study integrates evidence review, policy analysis, and stakeholder engagement. It includes consultation with people with lived experience to capture the realities and impacts of stigma. Cross-sector engagement will inform practical and policy-relevant recommendations. Findings will be synthesised into a national strategy framework.
Impact: This project will inform a national, public health-led approach to stigma reduction in Ireland. It will support policy reform, improve access to treatment and recovery supports, and promote more compassionate and effective service responses. The work will contribute to reframing addiction as a health issue rather than a moral or criminal one.
PI: Jo-Hanna Ivers
Funding: National Office of Social Inclusion
Objective: To analyse treatment patterns and trends in opioid use in Ireland, with a focus on the ageing population and associated health needs.
Key Components: Opioid Use Disorder remains a major public health challenge, with opioids driving treatment demand and overdose risk. This project addresses the growing cohort of older opioid users, whose needs are often complex and under-recognised. It examines patterns of service use alongside co-morbid health conditions. The work highlights the need for age-appropriate, integrated care responses.
Research Design: The study uses national treatment data from 2015 to 2021 to examine trends and demographic patterns. It includes detailed analysis of older populations and associated health profiles. Findings are interpreted in the context of service provision and system capacity. Outputs will inform future planning and policy development.
Impact: The findings will provide critical evidence to guide service planning and resource allocation. They will support the development of integrated, age-appropriate care models for older opioid users. The work will strengthen the evidence base underpinning national drug policy and health system responses.
PI: Jo-Hanna Ivers
Funding: North East Inner City Programme
Objective: To examine the patterns, experiences, and consequences of non-fatal overdose in Ireland and identify opportunities for intervention.
Key Components: Non-fatal overdose is a critical but under-recognised driver of morbidity and future overdose risk. This project addresses a significant evidence gap in Ireland by examining both epidemiological trends and lived experience. It highlights the importance of timely intervention following overdose events. The work positions non-fatal overdose as a key point for prevention and system response.
Research Design: A mixed methods approach integrates quantitative trend analysis with qualitative interviews. The study examines overdose patterns over the past decade alongside individual and service-level experiences. It maps pathways through emergency and healthcare systems. Findings will identify actionable intervention points across services.
Impact: This research will inform more timely and coordinated responses to overdose across health and community services. It will identify critical intervention points to reduce repeat overdose and mortality. The findings will directly support improvements in clinical practice, service integration, and public health strategy.
PI: Jo-Hanna Ivers
Co-PI: James Bruton
Collaborators: Higher education institutions, funding agencies, government departments, and community organisations
Funding: National Open Research Forum (NORF) / Royal Irish Academy
Objective: To co-create a national, evidence-informed roadmap for public engagement and open research in Ireland, with clear actions, timelines, and performance indicators.
Key Components: ENGAGED is a Trinity-hosted, national initiative that addresses the absence of a coordinated framework for public engagement and open research in Ireland. It begins with a comprehensive international evidence review to establish a robust foundation for reform. The project engages stakeholders across academia, policy, and community sectors to understand the benefits, risks, and requirements of open research practices. It is grounded in principles of transparency, inclusion, and co-production.
Research Design: The project combines international evidence synthesis with a structured national consultation process. It includes stakeholder workshops, sector-wide engagement, and iterative co-design methods. Insights are integrated to develop a shared, actionable roadmap. Outputs include defined actions, implementation timelines, and key performance indicators.
Impact: ENGAGED will shape Ireland’s national approach to public engagement and open research. It will build capacity across the research system, strengthen trust between research and society, and support more transparent and inclusive knowledge production. The project will contribute to a more equitable, responsible, and internationally aligned research ecosystem.