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Using the Internet to research hidden populations of illicit drug users : a review

journal contribution
posted on 2010-09-01, 00:00 authored by Peter MillerPeter Miller, A Sonderlund
Aims To review the current research of hidden populations of illicit drugs users using web-based methods and discuss major advantages and disadvantages.

Methods Systematic review of 16 databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO (EBSCOhost), CSA Sociological Abstracts, Expanded Academic ASAP and Google Scholar.

Findings Substances researched were most commonly ‘party/club drugs’ (such as ecstasy) and cannabis. All of the studies reviewed concluded that the internet is a useful tool for reaching hidden populations, but is likely to impose some bias in samples. Advantages include: access to previously under-researched target groups; speed; international applications; increased ease of data entry; and improved confidentiality for respondents. The major disadvantage is a lack of representativeness of samples.

Conclusions Internet research is successful at accessing hidden populations of illicit drugs users, when appropriately targeted and provides unprecedented opportunities for research across a wide range of topics within the addictions field. Findings are unlikely to be generalisable to the general public, but appropriate for describing target populations.

History

Journal

Addiction

Volume

105

Issue

9

Pagination

1557 - 1567

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Location

Oxford, England

ISSN

0965-2140

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2010, The Authors