Drugs Research in Scotland, Scoping Review: July 2016

Review of research being undertaken, or recently concluded, on drug use/misuse in Scotland.


Building recovery-centred communities and reducing stigma

Theme and sub-theme

Title

Purpose

Methods

Who by

Start date / status

Funding

More info available & contact

Community & needs

Hepatitis C and its treatment: qualitative insights into the contemporary lived experience

Treatment of Hepatitis C

Qualitative (patient interviews)

ENU, PhD researcher David Whiteley, Supervisor Dr Anne Whittaker

Started 2014

Ongoing, completion due Feb 2017

Clinical Academic Research Careers ( CARC) Programme, ( NHS Lothian, Edinburgh Napier University, University of Edinburgh)

Whiteley, D., Elliott, L., Cunningham-Burley, S., & Whittaker, A. (2015). Health-Related Quality of Life for individuals with hepatitis C: A narrative review. Int Journal of Drug Policy, 26(10), 936-949, available at: http://www.ijdp.org/article/S0955-3959(15)00130-9/abstract (not open access)

Contact:

david.whiteley@nhs.net

Community & needs

What are the future service needs and aspirations of older drug users?

To fill gap in knowledge in this area

Mixed methods interviewing 100 older drug users across Scotland

Independent Researcher, Dr Catriona Matheson

Started

10/15

Complete

Scottish Government via Scottish Drugs Forum

Contact:

cmathesonbusiness@gmail.com

Community & needs

Extent and nature of stigma towards people with drug dependence and people in recovery in Scotland

To investigate the extent/nature of stigma among the Scottish general public towards people with drug dependence & people in recovery. Compare with findings from 2011 survey to see if there has been change and provide a baseline representative sample of Scottish public opinion to track changes in attitudes over time

Survey - data from a representative sample of the adult general public in Scotland (around 1,000 respondents)

Progressive Partnership, Ruth Bryan

Complete

Scottish Government

Full report available at:

http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/06/4157

Contact:

info@progressivepartnership.co.uk

Contact in Scottish Government Frances.warren@gov.scot

Community & needs

Building of a virtual centre for the study of hidden and marginalised populations

Available as an online resource

Hidden and marginalised communities and populations

Online resource to disseminate research on this topic

UWS, Researcher Dr Iain McPhee

May 2016

Ongoing

In discussion

Contact:

Iain.mcphee@uws.ac.uk

Community & needs

Exploring the experiences of service users' involvement in addiction services

This study uses qualitative methods to recruit service users in helping agencies who are former problematic drug users now working in addiction services

Qualitative methods utilising

anti-oppressive research and encompassing a sensitivity to the process of 'othering' - the translation of difference into inferiority. Interviews will be conducted with 30 drug workers who are former drug service users in Glasgow & Belfast

UWS, Researcher Dr Iain McPhee

Ongoing 2016

Participants now identified

Contact:

Iain.mcphee@uws.ac.uk

Community & needs

An ethnographic exploration of the substance use of young people living in temporary homeless accommodation

To investigate the subjective experiences of young homeless people's drug and alcohol use and to contextualise these within the nature of their living conditions.

Participant observation, interviews and focus groups with a total of 22 young people aged 16-21 and 27 staff members in the homeless hostel.

Jennifer Hoolachan, PhD researcher in the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling

Supervisor: Professor Isobel Anderson and Dr Ruth Emond

Started October 2011

Ongoing, completion due 10/16

Economic and Social Research Council

Hoolachan, J.E. (2016) Ethnography and Homelessness Research. International Journal of Housing Policy, vol. 16 (1), pp. 31-49. Available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14616718.2015.1076625 (open access)

Community & needs

Social media, men who have sex with men, sexual and holistic health ( SMMASH2)

Exploration of recreational drug use, 'chemsex', sexual, mental and psychological health amongst men who have sex with men.

Forms part of the 'Sexual Health and BBV' and 'Substance Use and Misuse' themes within the Institute of Applied Health at GCU

Recruitment using social & gay specific socio-sexual media online and via smartphones in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This is a repeated longitudinal survey and follows the SMMASH project (2013)

GCU, Researcher Dr Jamie Frankis

02/16

Ongoing, completion due 07/16

Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Lothian Health Authorities

Various reports focusing on the Scottish population as a whole have been commissioned by Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Lothian Health Authorities. Peer review publications in green and gold route open access international journals will be prepared in 2016/2017. Collaborative outputs with existing sexual/mental/substance use work for MSM in England and Europe are also planned.

Contact:

j.frankis@gcu.ac.uk

Community & needs

Scope literature to understand the health & treatment support needs of out of treatment drug users

Expand knowledge on this area and support needs of specific group

Literature review

NHS Health Scotland Public Health Advisor Elinor Dickie

04/16

Ongoing, completion estimated 10/16

NHS Health Scotland core funding

Contact:

elinor.dickie@nhs.net

Community & needs

Exploring culture, identity and drug use among ethnic minorities in West of Scotland

Seeks to address what alcohol and drug use 'means' to ethnic minorities (exploration of criminalisation and stigma associated with the use of licit and illicit drugs), between sexes, and age groupings as well as between other identities within and external to family groupings.

Semi-structured interviews with 30 drug users from BME groups were conducted. This study employed social constructionist interviewing, which is a dialogical performance to co-facilitate knowledge exchanges.

UWS, PhD researcher Linda Thomas, Supervisor Dr Iain McPhee

October 2013

Ongoing, completion due Oct 2016

University studentship

Contact:

Linda.Thomas@uws.ac.uk

Community & needs

Exploring the identity of social actors who 'deal' in illicit and illegal drugs in Glasgow and Derby: A case study

Exploratory case study

Qualitative

UWS, PhD researcher Lee Primrose, Supervisor Dr Iain McPhee

2015

Ongoing, completion due 2018

Not known

Contact:

Lee.Primrose@uws.ac.uk

Community & needs

Hidden populations of illicit and illegal drug users: exploring context and the resistance of 'othering' in Scotland

Exploratory, hidden populations

Qualitative

UWS, PhD researcher Karen Hammond, Supervisor Dr Iain McPhee

2014

Ongoing, completion due 2017

Not known

Contact:

karen.hammond@uws.ac.uk

Community & needs

Novel psychoactive substance users, online community engagement and the challenge to prohibitionist hegemony

Exploratory

Novel psychoactive substance users

Mixed methods

UWS, PhD researcher Kieran Hamilton, Supervisor Dr Iain McPhee

2013

Ongoing, completion due 2016

Not known

Contact:

Kieran.Hamilton@uws.ac.uk

Community & needs

Views and Experiences of Darknet Market Users

Examines illicit drug sales and consumption over the darknet in order to understand the risks/ motivations for using the darknet to buy illicit drugs

Interviews and review of data scraped from darknet cryptomarkets

Edinburgh University, Researchers Angus Bancroft
and Peter Scott Reid

Started 1/6/15

Ongoing

University of Edinburgh

Further information available at: http://www.sociology.ed.ac.uk/research/grants_and_projects/current_projects/views_and_experiences_of_darknet_market_users

Contact:

Angus.Bancroft@ed.ac.uk

Community & needs

Challenges associated with treating chronic pain in ORT populations

PhD

Informatics data linkage

Dundee University, PhD researcher Cassie Higgins, Lead supervisor Dr Brian Kidd

Ongoing - completion anticipated October 2017

Self-funded

Contact:

c.z.higgins@dundee.ac.uk

Community & needs

Families

Service user and service provider accounts of managing the risks & realities of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Exploration of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Exploratory, qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with parents and focus groups with professionals

Multiple Scottish universities (lead ENU Researcher, Dr Anne Whittaker)

Started 9/14

Completed 9/15

Edinburgh and Lothian Health Foundation ( ELHF)

Contact:

a.whittaker@napier.ac.uk

Community & needs

Families

An exploration of how formal carers and looked after young people communicate about alcohol, tobacco & drug use

Explore communication issues

Carers and young people

Qualitative interviews with young people and carers

Edinburgh Napier University PhD researcher, Hannah Carver, Supervisor Dr Janet Hanley

Started 10/13

Ongoing, completion due 01/17

ENU Fellowship

Contact:

J.Hanley@napier.ac.uk

Community & needs

Families

Interpersonal trauma, substance misuse and pregnancy

Exploration of substance misuse in pregnancy

Pregnant women and midwives in Scotland

Phenomen-ological exploration, in-depth interviews, IPA analysis

Edinburgh Napier University, PhD researcher Naomi Waddell, Supervisor Dr Anne Whittaker

Started 10/13

Ongoing, completion due 06/17

ENU Fellowship

Contact:

a.whittaker@napier.ac.uk

Community & needs

Families

Understanding substance use and domestic abuse in Scotland: Exploring service providers and service users' perspectives

Exploratory

Domestic abuse and substance abuse connections

Mixed methods design using qualitative and quantitative methods, using an adapted AAPPQ

UWS, PhD researcher Andrea Beavon, Supervisor Dr Iain McPhee

2013

Ongoing, completion due 2019

Not known

Contact:

andrea.beavon@uws.ac.uk

Community & needs

Families

Fatherhood and drugs - how men with problem opiate use experience fatherhood

Purpose is to explore opiate-using fathers' experiences of fatherhood on the background of inter-generational transmission of substance use, parenting and adverse experience in their own childhood

Qualitative with semi-structured interviews

NHS Lothian Substance Misuse Directorate, DClinPsych researcher
Luisa Frei (Edinburgh University)

Started May 2015

Ongoing, completion due 2016

NHS Education Scotland funds/ NHS Lothian & University of Edinburgh are sponsors

Contact:

(Luisa Frei )

s1370095@sms.ed.ac.uk

Community & needs

Recovery

Relevance and significance of spirituality in drug and alcohol addictions and recovery

Define the significance of spirituality in addictions and recovery from addictions

Qualitative, exploratory

Stirling University, PhD researcher Nick Fuller

Started 2012

Ongoing, part time, completion due 2017/8

Stirling University

Contact:

n.w.fuller@stir.ac.uk

Community & needs

Recovery

Stigma of substance use and its impact on recovery

To determine the perspectives of service users and treatment providers in substance misuse treatment, which can be used to inform & develop current models of treatment
Forms part of the 'Substance Use and Misuse' research programme, Institute of Applied Health, GCU

Qualitative/ Q sort

GCU, PhD researcher Tim Laxton, Supervisor Prof Paul Flowers

2012

Ongoing, completion due 2016

GCU

Contact:

Tim.Laxton@gcu.ac.uk

Contact

Email: Michael Crook, Michael.Crook@gov.scot

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