Suchergebnisse

Providing insight into drug use from the point of view of female users, this book tells of the complex lives, challenges, and choices of women who use crack cocaine. While popular images of these women present them simply as unreliable individuals, unfit mothers, and women who will do almost anything for crack, Claire Sterk's years of ethnographic research reveal the nature and meaning of crack cocaine use in the larger context of their lives -- including the impact of such issues as gender, class, and race. Focusing on active crack users, Fast Lives compiles information from participant obser

The main objective of this paper is to investigate potential predictors of drug risk among a community-based sample of individuals who are exposed to illicit drugs. The four domains of interest are individual socio-demographic and social-psychological attributes, current situational circumstances and family-of-origin characteristics. Interviews were conducted with 242 individuals who were recruited in Atlanta, Georgia. Initial descriptive analyses were followed by multivariate analyses. The final model predicted 60% of the variance in drug risk. Current situational circumstances were statistically significant regarding drug risk. Family-of-origin characteristics also were significant, even when entered into the predictive model after current situational circumstances. In addition to individual social-psychological characteristics such as depression and self-esteem, the impact of childhood emotional abuse is noted. The findings indicate a need for considering proximal as well as more distal influences on drug risk behavior when designing drug use prevention and intervention programs.

Relying upon a sample of 283 young adult ecstasy users, this research examines three primary research questions: How high/low are young adult ecstasy users' levels of condom use self-efficacy? How does condom use self-efficacy relate to actual condom use in this population? What factors underlie condom efficacy levels in this population? The study entailed face-to-face interviews that were completed with the use of computer-assisted structured interviews (i.e., CASI). Study participants were recruited in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area between August 2002 and August 2004 using a targeted sampling and ethnographic mapping approach. Interviews took approximately two hours to complete. Condom use self-efficacy levels were found to be fairly high in this population. A strong, direct relationship was observed between condom use self-efficacy and actual condom use. Using a multiple regression approach, five factors were found to be predictive of greater condom use self-efficacy in this population. These were educational attainment, amount of communication in one's family of origin, having asked about one's most recent casual sex partner's HIV serostatus, no prior drug treatment, and level of self-esteem.

Drug use and treatment frequently are investigated from an individual perspective. In this paper, we focus on the perceptions of drug treatment among women in 48 mother/adult daughter dyads. Two-thirds of the women were crack cocaine users and they all were part of a larger study on intergenerational drug use. The women were recruited using targeted sampling, followed by theoretical sampling. In the tradition of feminist research, data collection primarily involved open-ended interviews, following a life course perspective. Data analyses involved the constant comparison method of the grounded theory process. A popular assumption is that women enter drug treatment because they are ordered by the court to do so. Overall, the mothers emphasized internal factors as most salient. Another theme in the women's stories was the perceived barriers to entering drug treatment. A better understanding of the internal and external factors regarding drug treatment decisions will assist us in clarifying treatment readiness. The women also made suggestions for more holistic and women-focused drug treatment.

Previous studies examining HIV sexual risk behaviors among male methamphetamine users have primarily focused on men who have sex with men (MSM) while ignoring heterosexual methamphetamine users. In this study, active male users of methamphetamine are differentiated based on sexual orientation. Targeted sampling guided the recruitment, and face-to-face survey interviews were conducted with 108 active male methamphetamine users. Participants were classified into heterosexual (n = 69) and non-heterosexual (n = 39) users. Between-group differences were found based on socio-demographics, drug use histories, and HIV sexual risk behavior. Heterosexual males were more likely than their nonheterosexual peers to be younger, less educated, unemployed, and less likely to be tested for HIV. Nonheterosexual males were more likely than heterosexual males to identify methamphetamine as their primary drug of choice, commence poly-drug use at a later age, and report more sexual partners in the past year. Findings from this study may lead to the development and/or refinement of successful prevention and intervention strategies that are more culturally sensitive to heterosexual and nonheterosexual male users of methamphetamine.

Social control and self‐control theories have influenced social research and public policy regarding drug use and abuse. While some researchers propose an integration of these theories, others argue that these theories are incompatible. Earlier models of drug use phases indicate that social environment affects self‐control, which contradicts the assumption made in self‐control theory that self‐control is stable over time. In this article we used life course and grounded theory methods to analyze the in‐depth life histories of 65 active heroin or methamphetamine users who are part of the cohort known as baby boomers. Interviews with drug users having a long history of drug use allow us to examine drug patterns over the life course. Based on social roles and control over drug use, we developed a four‐phase typology comprised of controlled users, marginal users, hustlers, and junkies that accounts for the variation found in our sample of baby boomer drug users. The study participants' identity and self‐concept are employed as descriptive illustrative themes. The typology presented here can assist in evaluat‐ing drug users for treatment, as well as developing public health interventions and policymaking.

The objectives of this paper are to describe ecstasy use patterns among young adult (18–25 years) users and to compare use patterns and self-reported effects according to the frequency (number of days used in the last 90 days) and intensity (typical number of pills taken per sitting) of ecstasy use. Computer-assisted structured interviews were conducted with 261 young adult active ecstasy users in Atlanta, Georgia. A typical dose of ecstasy intake was two pills, often followed by a booster dose. In addition, binging on ecstasy was reported. Ecstasy was mentioned as the primary drug of choice by one fifth of respondents. Poly-drug use dominated, and a substantial proportion of the respondents reported symptoms of ecstasy dependence. Differences in sociodemographic characteristics, poly-drug use, and reported effects of ecstasy use were found according to frequency and intensity of ecstasy use. Findings from this paper are important for the development of effective prevention efforts, including drug treatment and policy.

In this paper, we explore settings of ecstasy use other than those that are part of the rave scene. Little is known about its use in other settings. Data from young adult (18–25 years old) active ecstasy users were collected using surveys (N = 158) and qualitative in-depth interviews (N = 66). Recruitment involved targeted and theoretical sampling. Data analysis was guided by the constant comparison method, common in grounded theory. Our findings indicate that ecstasy use has extended to social settings beyond raves, including dance/music venues, bars in inner-city neighborhoods, neighborhood cruising sites, and private residences. Users may attend multiple settings, and it is common for use practices to be transmitted across settings. An understanding of emerging social settings of ecstasy use and the associated use patterns provides baseline information for the development of effective and appropriate prevention and intervention programs, including drug treatment, as well as for policy makers.