Gerald Cochran

Gerald Cochran, MSW, PhD, is a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine (Division of Epidemiology) at the University of Utah, with adjunct appointments in Population Health Sciences and Psychiatry. He serves as Director of Research for the Program on Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy (PARCKA) and is core faculty at the VA Salt Lake City IDEAS Center. His expertise centers on behavioral health services for underserved populations, particularly substance use disorder treatment and evidence-based interventions in healthcare settings.

Education History:

• PhD: University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work
• Postdoctoral Fellowship: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
• MSW: University of Utah
• BS: Brigham Young University

Research interests focus on improving substance abuse prevention/treatment through healthcare system interventions. Key areas include:

• Opioid and alcohol co-use prevention
• Community pharmacy-based screening/interventions
• Digital phenotyping for high-risk populations
• Machine learning for overdose prediction
• Perinatal opioid use disorder management
• Latent variable modeling of behavioral health outcomes

Recent publications demonstrate strong emphasis on pragmatic trials in community settings (e.g., pharmacies, rural clinics), predictive modeling of substance misuse, and interventions for pregnant/parenting populations. Work frequently integrates implementation science, behavioral theory, and health informatics.

Dr. Cochran leads multidisciplinary teams across the PARCKA and IDEAS Center, focusing on addiction treatment innovation and health system integration. He maintains active collaborations with VA healthcare networks, Medicaid programs, and rural clinical practices.