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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 29 December 2022

James Windle, Graham Cambridge, James Leonard and Orla Lynch

This paper aims to explore how the Celtic Tiger economic boom and Great Recession influenced drug and alcohol use in one Irish city.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how the Celtic Tiger economic boom and Great Recession influenced drug and alcohol use in one Irish city.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 48 people, living in Cork City, who had previously used drugs and/or alcohol problematically. All participants had engaged with services for their problematic use and had at least one year of abstinence at time of interview.

Findings

Some participants reported that their drug and/or alcohol consumption increased during the economic boom; others, who were already in (self-defined) active addiction, reported how full employment lessened some of the harms of their problematic use. For others, problematic use struck once the economy entered a downturn and, heavy drink and drug use became a means of soothing the strains of economic recession.

Originality/value

The paper provides two key contributions. Methodologically, it demonstrates how large-scale national quantitative data can mask local idiosyncratic tendencies, suggesting the need for mixed-method approaches for understanding drug market trends. The paper also provides insights into the impact of global and local economic conditions on drug and alcohol consumption in Ireland.

Details

Drugs, Habits and Social Policy, vol. 24 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2752-6739

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 14 December 2018

Catherine Palmer

To outline the paradoxes and contradictions inherent in debates about sport, alcohol, and addiction. It appears that a growing number of sportspeople suffer from addiction to…

Abstract

Purpose

To outline the paradoxes and contradictions inherent in debates about sport, alcohol, and addiction. It appears that a growing number of sportspeople suffer from addiction to alcohol and other drugs while at the same time alcohol use is widely sanctioned and celebrated in sport. The high-profile falls from grace are a public display of a more insidious, problematic relationship to drugs and alcohol in sport, yet cultural change is often difficult given long standing associations between sport and alcohol.

Design/Method/Approach

In the first part of the chapter, the key themes in the drugs, alcohol, and sport debate (notably health and ethics) are discussed. In the second part, some of the relationships between sport and alcohol, such as sponsorship and the cultural sanctioning of particular forms of drinking and masculine identities are examined. In the third, the issues of drug and alcohol addiction and recovery, and the implications for sport and sporting identities are discussed.

Findings

The chapter reveals the tensions that underpin the social contexts of drug and alcohol use and misuse in sport. The chapter suggests that a recalibration of popular understandings of masculinity in sport may provide a safe space through which to share battles with alcohol and addiction.

Research Limitations/Implications

Discussion of the paradoxes and contradictions inherent in the relationships between sport and alcohol have important implications for a discussion and analysis of addiction and alcohol in sport, and for sport and social policy, health promotion, and social care more broadly.

Details

Sport, Mental Illness, and Sociology
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78743-469-1

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 April 2022

Iain McPhee, Barry Sheridan, Andrew Horne, Steph Keenan and Fiona Houston

This study aims to provide data on substance use amongst young people in Scotland to inform policy and practice for an age group who generally do not access specialist alcohol and

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to provide data on substance use amongst young people in Scotland to inform policy and practice for an age group who generally do not access specialist alcohol and drug services. The main objectives of the study were to assess the problem severity scores of items from a modified version of the DAST-10 brief screening instrument among respondents; examine correlations between a range of variables in relation to DAST-10 problem severity scores; and explore respondent knowledge of how and where to seek help.

Design/methodology/approach

A fixed quantitative design methodology recruited a non-probability sample of 4,501 respondents from an online survey made available by “We are With you” Scotland.

The survey was ethically approved by the School of Education and Social Sciences, University of the West of Scotland. It consisted of 32 questions exploring substances used within the past 12 months, and 12 weeks, and included the DAST-10. We further explored help seeking, and knowledge of support available to respondents.

Findings

Substance use patterns were markedly different from people currently known to specialist alcohol and drug services. Over half of respondents were under 25, and 62% report being employed. The most commonly used substances were cannabis and cocaine. One third of respondents recorded substantial or severe problem severity scores and reside in Scottish Local Authorities with high concentrations of socio-economic inequality.

Secure accommodation, stable relationships and being employed are protective factors in relation to reported negative health consequences associated with problem substance use.

Just under one third (27%) of respondents report knowing where to seek help for substance use problems; however, they are unwilling to attend existing specialist alcohol and drug services.

Research limitations/implications

A non-probability sample of the Scottish population has a potential for response bias due to how and what way the survey was made available to respondents. It is acknowledged that while useful as a method of generating drug use data, there are limitations in how recently the substance use occurred, and in relation to the types of substances reported (cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy).

Practical implications

The study provides data to inform wider public health measures in relation to accessing support and addressing societal discrimination associated with the use of substances. The study provides data on service design for young people who do not access specialist alcohol and drug services.

Social implications

The study informs substance use policy in the Scottish context in relation to a population of young people who use licit and illicit substances. Data contributes to evidence supporting correlations between problematic substance use and socio-economic inequality. Data indicates that existing specialist services require redesign.

Originality/value

The study is the first to be conducted within a Scottish context.

Details

Drugs, Habits and Social Policy, vol. 23 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2752-6739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2008

Adam Huxley and Sarah Foulger

This paper considers parents who misuse substances. The potential impacts of their substance misuse on their ability to parent effectively and safely (parenting capacity) are…

Abstract

This paper considers parents who misuse substances. The potential impacts of their substance misuse on their ability to parent effectively and safely (parenting capacity) are explored, as are some of the barriers many parents face when attempting to seek treatment for problematic substance misuse. The terms ‘useand ‘misuse’ are used interchangeably in this paper and ‘substances’ refers to alcohol, illicit drugs and overuse of prescribed medicines. It is important to make the distinction between parents whose use of substances does not constitute dependency and might be best described as ‘recreational or hazardous’. Such individuals might not seek treatment and estimates of prevalence rates of use among this cohort are difficult as they remain hidden from services. Parents who might already be in treatment services or who might be seeking treatment might be described as ‘problematic or dependent’ although presentation at services is neither necessary nor sufficient to assume that the individual's misuse of substances is problematic or indicative of a dependency. The use of substances is associated with numerous harms to the individual: psychologically, socially, interpersonally and physically, and is a risk factor towards negative parenting practices. The use of substances in itself is not an indication of neglectful or harmful parenting, as many parents who use substances have adequate parenting skills, however, it is more frequently associated as a risk rather than a protective factor when considering potential harms. Most of the research refers to mothers although we are aware that some fathers may have sole parenting responsibility for their children. Parents, in particular mothers, face many barriers when trying to access substance misuse treatment services. When they are in treatment, services often lack the skills and experiences to be able to balance managing child protection issues and engaging the parent in treatment. A full review of the issues associated with parenting and substance misuse is beyond the scope of this paper and the reader is referred to Fowler (2003), Cleaver et al (1999), Velleman and Templeton (2007) and Day and George (2005) and the British Psychological Society's Child Protection Portfolio (2007) for further discussion.

Details

Drugs and Alcohol Today, vol. 8 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1745-9265

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 April 2022

Tam Chipawe Cane, Paul Newton and John Foster

It is well established that women face multiple barriers accessing treatment for problematic and unhealthy alcohol use, but less is known about how their interconnected problems…

Abstract

Purpose

It is well established that women face multiple barriers accessing treatment for problematic and unhealthy alcohol use, but less is known about how their interconnected problems affect how they seek help from, and access, alcohol-treatment services. This study aims to explore the dynamic nature of women’s help-seeking for problematic and unhealthy alcohol use and how this can be compounded by unsuitable treatment services, especially when women present with complex needs.

Design/methodology/approach

Thirteen semi-structured interviews with women who had accessed alcohol-support services were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically using the complexity theory.

Findings

For women with complex needs, the process of seeking help may trigger unpredictable behaviours, health or social problems and intermittent serial access to treatment. Current services do not always address women’s holistic needs. Unless services focus on addressing interconnected problems – including historic trauma – they may compound the complexity of women’s problems. Complexity theory offers novel insights into this process, a concept not applied to problematic and unhealthy alcohol use treatment previously.

Research limitations/implications

Services should adopt the complexity-focused perspective featured in this study. While the authors acknowledge the increase in gender-responsive provision, the limitations of this study include a small sample size, the self-selecting nature of the sample and retrospective reporting. Participants were recruited and selected by service staff resulting in gatekeeping and possible sampling bias.

Practical implications

Services should adopt non-linear approaches to treatment. Implementing complexity approaches to treating women’s problematic and unhealthy alcohol use should capture the dynamics, complexity and non-linear nature of women’s help-seeking journeys as well as their internal and external responses that may result in relapse. The authors recommend complexity-focused, multiple-component and integrated collaborative strategies to address not only addiction but also all components of women’s needs, including past trauma.

Originality/value

Applying complexity-thinking to help-seeking experiences for alcohol treatment and recovery services is novel and proved useful in understanding the variety of women’s experiences and how these interact with their help-seeking behaviours, including treatment environments.

Details

Advances in Dual Diagnosis, vol. 15 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-0972

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2001

Inge Bongers, Hans van Oers, Henk Garretsen, Ien van de Goor and André Wierdsma

Background: The central issue of this paper is whether the intuitive relation between problematic drinking and seeking professional help holds. To shed light on this issue an…

Abstract

Background: The central issue of this paper is whether the intuitive relation between problematic drinking and seeking professional help holds. To shed light on this issue an ecological study is done in which the relation between different drinking patterns, alcohol‐related harm, and help‐seeking behaviour at the neighbourhood level of Rotterdam, The Netherlands is examined. Two questions are posed:1. Are there geographical differences in drinking patterns, alcohol problems, problem drinking, and number of alcohol clients within the city of Rotterdam?2. Is there a relation between drinking patterns, alcohol‐related harm, and help‐seeking behaviour at the neighbourhood level?Methods: Ecological analyses are conducted based on individual data originating from a survey and person‐based registers. Respondents to the survey were classified as abstainers, light, moderate or excessive drinkers, and were classified as having alcohol‐related problems and/or being a problem drinker. Person‐based registers were used to obtain data on the number of ambulatory and clinical alcohol clients in Rotterdam. The number of ambulatory and clinical clients measured help‐seeking behaviour.Results: The intuitive reasoning that the more problematic drinkers, the more professional help is sought does not stand. No association was found between the number of alcohol clients and the percentage of excessive drinkers and problem drinkers at the neighbourhood level. Large differences between neighbourhoods in prevalence of excessive drinking, alcohol‐related problems and problem drinking were found. The number of alcohol clients, however, varied much less between neighbourhoods. A notable result is that the higher the percentage of abstainers, the lower the number of alcohol clients in a neighbourhood.Discussion: It was concluded that in all neighbourhoods the number of problem drinkers outnumbers those seeking professional help, indicating a friction between need and supply of help with respect to problematic drinking. It is hypothesised that besides drinking behaviour and drinking‐related problems individual, as well as social and cultural factors, play a role in the process of help‐seeking behaviour.

Details

Drugs and Alcohol Today, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1745-9265

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 27 January 2012

Angela Paradise

Digital cameras and social networking have made photo-taking and photo-sharing more ubiquitous than ever before. In recent years, scholars and the popular press have raised…

Abstract

Digital cameras and social networking have made photo-taking and photo-sharing more ubiquitous than ever before. In recent years, scholars and the popular press have raised concerns over the practice of posting photographs on social networking sites, especially when the images contain problematic or incriminating content. These concerns are often directed toward college students, who are among the most active users of social media. To that end, this chapter offers a comprehensive overview of the extent and emerging research pertaining to college students' photo-sharing habits on social networking sites. Much of our attention focuses on Facebook, which has emerged as the largest and fastest growing photo-sharing Web site in the world. While research on text-based disclosure will be addressed, a greater emphasis is placed on college students' photo-related behaviors, including uploading, viewing, tagging, and untagging photos. Further, this chapter discusses research on problematic or damaging content in college students' photos posted on Facebook, including depictions of alcohol use, drug use, and sexual promiscuity. This chapter provides a glimpse of some recent data (collected by the author) from a national sample of U.S. college students, which further shed light on their experiences and attitudes regarding their photo-related Facebook behaviors, the types of incriminating photos they report posting, and the consequences they have experienced due to visual images shared by themselves or others on Facebook. Finally, this chapter concludes with a discussion of the strategies utilized by college administrators, faculty, athletic coaches, and others within higher education to address the concerns and consequences often associated with college students and the photographs they share on Facebook and other social networking sites.

Details

Misbehavior Online in Higher Education
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78052-456-6

Article
Publication date: 16 March 2015

Kate Dolan, Ana Rodas and Adam Bode

– The purpose of this paper is to compare the use of drugs and alcohol by Indigenous and non-Indigenous prisoners and examine relevant treatment in Australian prisons.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare the use of drugs and alcohol by Indigenous and non-Indigenous prisoners and examine relevant treatment in Australian prisons.

Design/methodology/approach

Prison authorities were surveyed about alcohol and drug use by prisoners prior to and during imprisonment and drug and alcohol treatment programs in prison. The literature was review for information on alcohol and drug use and treatment in Australian prisons.

Findings

In 2009, over 80 percent of Indigenous and non-Indigenous inmates smoked. Prior to imprisonment, many Indigenous and non-Indigenous inmates drank alcohol at risky levels (65 vs 47 percent) and used illicit drugs (over 70 percent for both groups). Reports of using heroin (15 vs 21 percent), ATS (21 vs 33 percent), cannabis (59 vs 50 percent) and injecting (61 vs 53 percent) were similarly high for both groups. Prison-based programs included detoxification, Opioid Substitution Treatment, counselling and drug free units, but access was limited especially among Indigenous prisoners.

Research limitations/implications

Drug and alcohol use was a significant issue in Australian prisons. Prisoners were over five times more likely than the general population to have a substance use disorder. Imprisonment provides an important opportunity for rehabilitation for offenders. This opportunity is especially relevant to Indigenous prisoners who were more likely to use health services when in prison than in the community and given their vast over representations in prison populations.

Practical implications

Given the effectiveness of treatment in reducing re-offending rates, it is important to expand drug treatment and especially culturally appropriate treatment programs for Indigenous inmates.

Originality/value

Very little is known about Indigenous specific drug and alcohol programs in Australian prisons.

Article
Publication date: 25 January 2019

David Stuart

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the origins, use and meaning of the term “chemsex”.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the origins, use and meaning of the term “chemsex”.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach used here is one born of personal experiences and reflection.

Findings

The term chemsex has a definition and a purpose that promotes culturally competent care for a marginalized group of vulnerable people.

Research limitations/implications

This is a qualitative, personal, point-of-view piece which may be of value in broadening understandings and responses amongst public health and academic activities.

Practical implications

The findings can be used to develop a sense of community and support amongst men who have sex with men in a chemsex setting, and to provide some background and context for professionals working in this field.

Originality/value

This paper is amongst the first, if not the first, of its nature to be published in an academic journal.

Details

Drugs and Alcohol Today, vol. 19 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1745-9265

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 August 2011

M. Kevin Gray

The current study aims to examine problematic behaviors of college students who identified policing as their career of choice.

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Abstract

Purpose

The current study aims to examine problematic behaviors of college students who identified policing as their career of choice.

Design/methodology/approach

A self‐report survey was administered and behaviors such as alcohol and drug use, arrest histories, and self‐reported criminality were identified in a sample of 874 undergraduate students, 171 of whom identified policing as their career goal.

Findings

Findings indicate that over 60 percent of students (including those interested in becoming police officers) engage in some level of problematic behavior. While policing students engaged in more excessive recent binge drinking, they had a lower rate of arrests and less other‐than‐marijuana drug use than other students.

Research limitations/implications

This research relies on self‐reported data and therefore under‐ or over‐reporting may occur. While the sample of policing students has similar characteristics to those of current police officers in terms of sex and race, generalizability issues from the entire sample may be present.

Practical implications

Findings suggest the importance of identifying and conveying information to students about problematic behaviors that may prohibit gainful employment. Recruitment implications are discussed for police departments as well as implications for areas of inquiry important for background hiring investigations.

Originality/value

The current research explores problematic behaviors of college students in the context of vocational restrictions that students may face from law enforcement agencies. Findings can better prepare students for such vocations and inform hiring agencies of the range of issues from this population of applicants.

Details

Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, vol. 34 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 2000