CAHSS Faculty Articles
Changes in Method for Obtaining Better Outcomes in the Recruitment of Synthetic Drug Users
ORCID ID
0000-0003-1628-8734, 0000-0001-9228-7114, 0000-0003-4027-7840, 0000-0002-1994-9983
ResearcherID
L-1235-2016, D-5452-2015, K-3072-2014, H-3010-2014, P-1629-2014
Publication Title
Addiction Research & Theory
ISSN
1606-6359
Publication Date
12-18-2013
Abstract
Objective: To describe the problems encountered and resolved in the course of using respondent-driven sampling (RDS), targeted canvassing (TARC), and ethnographic fieldwork (EFW) to recruit ecstasy and/or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) users.
Method: This study is nested within a larger project designed to investigate the course of drug use, sexual risk behaviors, and psychiatric comorbidities in 240 ecstasy/LSD users. Eligible participants were males and females with ages ranging from 18 to 39 years, who reported ecstasy and/or LSD use at least once during the 90 days prior to interview and were not under treatment for drug and alcohol problems. Strategies were implemented sequentially, over four-month time frames for each method, aiming at fulfilling study objectives.
Results: The final sample included 174 participants (64.36% males). Eight (4.6%) were selected using RDS, 26 (14.94%) with TARC, and 140 (80.45%) using EFW. RDS recruited participants with a higher education level, employed, and with a higher monthly income. Conversely, a higher frequency of drug usage and a higher number of drugs ever used were evident among participants selected via EFW.
Conclusions: Different recruitment techniques reached different types of participants. EFW showed the best performance, granting access to the largest number of participants and with a higher number of drugs ever used. Both RDS and TARC required more time to recruit participants and yielded a lower number of eligible subjects. Participants recruited via RDS had a higher socioeconomic level but also a shorter lifetime history of drug use.
DOI
10.3109/16066359.2013.867431
Volume
22
Issue
5
First Page
380
Last Page
385
NSUWorks Citation
Remy, L. S., Von Diemen, L., Surratt, H. L., Kurtz, S. P., & Pechansky, F. (2013). Changes in Method for Obtaining Better Outcomes in the Recruitment of Synthetic Drug Users. Addiction Research & Theory, 22 (5), 380-385. https://doi.org/10.3109/16066359.2013.867431
