51ÔÚÏß

Faculty

Rigg, Khary, PhD

Title: Associate Professor Phone: (813) 974-5476 Office: MHC 2716 Send email Curriculum Vitae

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Khary Rigg, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy at University of South 51ÔÚÏß. He is a behavioral health services researcher with over 20 years of experience studying addiction. He earned his Ph.D. in medical sociology from University of Miami and completed a post-doctoral fellowship in health services research at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. 

His research is focused on improving service provision and outcomes for people with addictive disorders across healthcare and community settings. His most recent projects focus on improving treatment outcomes for methadone patients and their families, reducing toward medications for opioid use disorder, understanding the role that can play in recovery, and reducing overdoses in and rural communities. 

He has published over 75 peer-reviewed journal articles, and also writes , , and for non-academic audiences. Dr. Rigg has been PI or Co-I on externally funded projects totaling over $9 million, including from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, and Humana Foundation. 

Dr. Rigg specializes in community-engaged research approaches, mixed-methods designs, and has been involved in numerous studies using focus groups, in-depth interviewing, and photovoice. His work also involves secondary analysis of large datasets to identify drug use trends and risk factors. He is currently Senior for Journal of Studies on Alcohol & Drugs and Addiction for Annals of Medicine.  

Follow him on X () or read his Psychology Today to learn more about his research.

Education

• • B.S., 51ÔÚÏß International University
  • M.S., University of Miami
  • Ph.D., University of Miami

Research Interests

• • Drug Prevention, Treatment, Harm Reduction
  • Opioid Addiction and Overdose
  • Overdoses in Black and Rural Communities
  • Community-Based/Family-Based Interventions
  • Mixed Methods Research

Recent Publications

Stigma Related to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder 

Rigg, K. K. (2024). Attitudes toward extended-release naltrexone treatment for opioid use disorder among African Americans. Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 257, 111260.

Rigg, K. K., Weaver, R., & Kusiak, E. (2023). Attitudes toward methadone treatment among Black/African-Americans: Implications for engagement and retention. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 93(6), 476–485

Family-Based Interventions

Rigg, K. K., Kusiak, E., Proctor, S., Barber, S., Asous, L., & Bartholomew, T. (2024). Implementing family-based interventions in Opioid Treatment Programs: Preferences for method of delivery. Psychological Services. Published online.

Rigg, K. K., Proctor, S., Kusiak, E., Barber, S., Asous, L., & Bartholomew, T. (2024). Assessing feasibility and barriers to implementing a family-based intervention in Opioid Treatment Programs. Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, 51(2), 151-163.

Community-Based Interventions

Rigg, K. K., & Kosyluk, K. (2021). Developing and evaluating community-based health interventions: The role of data. In Community-Based Service Delivery: Theory and Implementation. (pp. 40-54). Routledge.

Rigg, K. K., Sharp, A., Conner, K. O., & Moore, K. A. (2019). Re-examining the role of patients in community-based health interventions. In Community-based health interventions in an institutional context (pp. 125-138). Springer.

Opioid Misuse in Black Communities

Rigg, K. K., & Strickland, S. (2024). Patterns of opioid misuse initiation among African Americans. Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy, 31(2), 221-228.

Rigg, K. K., & Kusiak, E. (2023). Perceptions of fentanyl among African Americans who misuse opioids: Implications for risk reduction. Harm Reduction Journal, 179(20), 1-8.

Opioid Misuse in Rural Communities

Rigg, K. K., Monnat, S., & Chavez, M. (2019). Opioid-related mortality in rural America: Geographic heterogeneity and intervention strategies. International Journal of Drug Policy, 57, 119- 129.

Rigg, K. K., & Monnat, S. M. (2017). Urban vs. rural differences in prescription opioid misuse among adults in the United States: Informing region-specific drug policies and interventions. International Journal of Drug Policy, 26, 484-491.

Drug Prevention

Rigg, K. K., & Johnson, M. E. (2022). Preventing opioid misuse: Racial/ethnic differences in the protective effects of extracurricular activities among justice-involved youth. Journal of Studies on Alcohol & Drugs, 83(3), 402-411.  

Rigg, K. K., & Menendez, K. (2018). Drug prevention programs in schools: Selecting program providers. Health Education Journal, 77(5), 586-597.