Research Methods in the Study of Substance Abuse

445 Pages·2017·6.95 MB·English

by  Jonathan B. VanGeest

Jonathan B. VanGeest
Timothy P. Johnson
Sonia A. Alemagno Editors
Research Methods
in the Study of
Substance Abuse
Research Methods in the Study
of Substance Abuse
Jonathan B. VanGeest
Timothy P. Johnson
Sonia A. Alemagno
Editors
Research Methods
in the Study
of Substance Abuse
123
Editors
JonathanB. VanGeest SoniaA.Alemagno
Department ofHealth Policy Department ofHealth Policy
andManagement,College ofPublic andManagement,College ofPublic
Health Health
KentState University KentState University
Kent, OH Kent, OH
USA USA
Timothy P. Johnson
SurveyResearch Laboratory,
Departmentof Public Administration,
CollegeofUrbanPlanningandPublic
Affairs
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL
USA
ISBN978-3-319-55978-0 ISBN978-3-319-55980-3 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-55980-3
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2017935551
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Preface
Thismonographprovidesanintroductionandoverviewofthemostcommon
research methods currently being employed to study substance use- and
abuse-related behaviors, primarily in regards to alcohol and/or illicit drugs,
withafocusontheirapplicationinadvancingunderstanding,preventionand
treatment. Substance abuse research draws both its theories and methods
fromavarietyofotherfields,andwehavetriedtoincorporateinsightsfrom
these variousperspectiveshere. We acknowledge up front some variation in
thedefinitionsofkeyconceptsusedinthefield,particularlywithregardasto
what constitutes substance “use,” “misuse,” and “abuse.” Inconsistencies in
terminology abound, with “misuse” and “abuse” even used interchangeably
by researchers. Some even abandon theses terms all together to focus on
clinical diagnosticcriteria indicativeofusedisorders,suchasthosefoundin
the latest edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders. While definitional issues are addressed in the text, due to lack of
consensusin thefield, some discretion isgiven to thechapterauthor(s) with
regardtotheirpreference.Themonographisdividedintosixparts.Inthefirst
of these, two overview chapters are provided. In Chap. 1, we chronicle how
research in the field has advanced over the past fifty-plus years and how
multiple waves of innovation contributed to current standards and best
practices. In Chap. 2, Jennifer Reingle and Timothy Akers introduce the
transdisciplinaryresearchframeworkknownasepidemiologicalcriminology,
which is now considered a promising approach for innovation in substance
abuse research.
Part II covers quantitative approaches, including randomized controlled
trials in Chap. 3 (by James Swartz), sampling strategies in Chap. 4 (by
Joseph Gfroerer, Arthur Hughs and Jonaki Bose), methods of primary and
secondary statistical data analysis in Chap. 5 (by Adam King, Libo Li and
Yih-Ing Hser), and longitudinal methods in Chap. 6 (by Brent Teasdale and
Jerreed Ivanich). Qualitative and mixed methods are examined in Part III.
PaulDrauspresentsanoverviewofqualitativemethodsinChap.7,followed
by Henry Browstein’s discussion of qualitative data analysis methods in
Chap. 8. The use of geographic information systems in substance abuse
research are presented by Jacqueline Curtis and Andrew Curtis in Chap. 9,
andSherylChatfieldandJeffreyHallaminvestigatemixedmethodsresearch
strategies for substance abuse research in Chap. 10.
v
vi Preface
Measurement issues are addressed in Part IV. A general overview of
substanceabuseassessmentisprovidedbyTimothyGrigsby,SteveSussman,
Chih-Ping Chou, and Susan Ames in Chap. 11. This is followed by Brian
Perron, David Cordova, Christopher Salas-Wright and Michael Vaughn’s
consideration of measurement validity in Chap. 12. The use of surveys to
measure substance use behaviors is reviewed by Timothy Johnson and
Jonathan VanGeest in Chap. 13, and Michael Fendrich, Timothy Johnson
andJessicaBeckerprovideanoverviewoftheuseofbiologicalmeasuresin
Chap. 14. In Part V, challenges and special considerations in conducting
substance abuse research with several subgroups of the general population
are discussed. In Chap. 15, Dianne Kerr and Willie Oglesby consider issues
in the conduct of adolescent substance abuse research. In Chap. 16, these
same authors address substance abuse research in the LGBT Community.
Sage Kim and Michael Puisis discuss the conduct of research with incar-
cerated populations in Chap. 17. Finally, Part IV examines policy analysis
methods. John Carnevale outlines the role played by research in the for-
mulationofsubstanceabusepolicyinChap.18.Theeconomicevaluationof
substance abuse and prevention programs is examined, in Chap. 19, by
Willie Oglesby and Lauren Birmingham, and the general evaluation of
substance abuse prevention and treatment programs is discussed by Peggy
Stephens, Zili Sloboda, and Deric Kenne in Chap. 20.
As we acknowledged earlier, substance abuse research draws ideas,
theories,andmethodsfromavarietyofotherdisciplines.Assuch,wefound
itnecessaryinorganizingthisvolumetosimilarlyreachouttoexpertsacross
avarietyoffieldsinanefforttoprovideacomprehensiveoverviewofcurrent
knowledge and practices. We are sincerely grateful for the contributions of
all authors whose contributions are presented in this monograph, and thank
them for their patience in working through multiple drafts with us over the
past several years. We are hopeful that you, the reader, will agree.
Kent, OH, USA Jonathan B. VanGeest
Chicago, IL, USA Timothy P. Johnson
Kent, OH, USA Sonia A. Alemagno
November 2016
Acknowledgments
This book is made up of contributions from a talented group of academics
and practitioners. Collectively, they provide insights on some of the unique
challenges (and solutions) associated with the conduct of research on sub-
stanceabuse. It hasbeenapleasureworking with thisgroup ofscholars and
they have our deep appreciation for their contributions to this effort. We
would also like to thank our colleagues who have contributed valuable
insightsandrecommendationstoimproveourfinalproduct.Specifically,we
thank Peggy and Richard Stephens for their helpful edits and contributions.
Additionally, we thank Carissa Smock and Matthew Nichols (Kent State
University, College of Public Health) for their help in editing text. We also
thank the team at Springer for their support and seemingly endless patience
as we put this volume together.
Lastly, we would like to thank our spouses—Sarah VanGeest, LuEllen
Doty and Tom Alemagno for their unwavering support throughout this
project.
Jonathan B. VanGeest
Timothy P. Johnson
Sonia A. Alemagno
vii
Contents
Part I Overview
1 History of Substance Abuse Research
in the United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Jonathan B. VanGeest, Timothy P. Johnson,
and Sonia A. Alemagno
2 Transdisciplinary Research Perspective: Epidemiological
Criminology as an Emerging Theoretical Framework
for Substance Abuse Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Jennifer M. Reingle Gonzalez, and Timothy A. Akers
Part II Quantitative Approaches
3 Randomized Controlled Trials in Substance Abuse
Treatment Research: Fundamental Aspects and
New Developments in Random Assignment Strategies,
Comparison/Control Conditions, and Design
Characteristics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
James A. Swartz
4 Sampling Strategies for Substance Abuse Research . . . . . . . 65
Joseph Gfroerer, Arthur Hughes, and Jonaki Bose
5 Common Statistical Methods for Primary and Secondary
Analysis in Substance Abuse Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Adam King, Libo Li, and Yih-Ing Hser
6 Longitudinal Methods in Substance Use Research . . . . . . . . 113
Brent Teasdale and Jerreed Ivanich
Part III Qualitative and Mixed-Method Approaches
7 Qualitative Methods in Substance Abuse Research. . . . . . . . 129
Paul Draus
8 Qualitative Data Analysis in Drug Research . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Henry H. Brownstein
9 Using GIS for Substance Abuse
Research and Intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Jacqueline W. Curtis and Andrew Curtis
ix
x Contents
10 All Mixed Up: Considerations in Blending Qualitative
and Quantitative Components in Substance
Abuse Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Sheryl L. Chatfield and Jeffrey S. Hallam
Part IV Measurement Issues
11 Assessment of Substance Misuse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Timothy J. Grigsby, Steve Sussman,
Chih-Ping Chou, and Susan L. Ames
12 Validity: Conceptual and Methodological Issues
in Substance Abuse Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Brian E. Perron, David Cordova, Christopher Salas-Wright,
and Michael G. Vaughn
13 Using Surveys to Study Substance Use Behavior . . . . . . . . . 251
Timothy P. Johnson and Jonathan B. VanGeest
14 The Use of Biological Measures in Social Research
on Drug Misuse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
Michael Fendrich, Timothy P. Johnson, and Jessica Becker
Part V Special Populations
15 Conducting Research on Adolescent Substance Abuse . . . . . 317
Dianne L. Kerr and Willie H. Oglesby
16 LGBT Populations and Substance Abuse Research:
An Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Dianne L. Kerr and Willie H. Oglesby
17 Conducting Substance Abuse Research:
Incarcerated Populations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
Sage Kim and Michael Puisis
Part VI Policy Research
18 Application: What Role Does Research Play
in Shaping Substance Abuse Policy?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
John T. Carnevale
19 Economic Evaluation of Substance Abuse and Prevention
Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 393
Willie H. Oglesby and Lauren Birmingham
20 Evaluation of Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment
Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Peggy Stephens, Zili Sloboda, and Deric Kenne
Index ... .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 441
Editors and Contributors
About the Editors
Jonathan B. VanGeest, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Health Policy and
ManagementatKentStateUniversity.Hismainareasofexpertiseincluderacialandethnic
disparities in health care, limited health literacy, and care outcomes associated with
structural changes in medicine. He also has extensive experience in survey research
methodology, programevaluation,andresearchonsubstanceabuseissuesamonghome-
lesspersonsandothermarginalizedriskgroups.
Timothy P. Johnson, Ph.D., is the Director of the Survey Research Laboratory and a
Professor in the Department of Public Administration at the University of Illinois at
Chicago.Hismainareasofexpertiseincludehealthdisparities,surveymethodology,and
healthbehaviorsindisadvantagedpopulations.Withinthefieldofsurveymethodology,his
workhasfocusedprimarilyonsourcesofmeasurementandnonresponseerror.Johnsonhas
also invested considerable effort in examining the health behaviors of disadvantaged
populations. Among the disadvantaged populations he has worked with are homeless
persons, immigrants, cultural minorities, criminal justice populations, and mental health
populations. Some of the health behaviors he has examined among these populations
include cancer screening, nutrition, physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol consumption,
anddrugabuse.
SoniaA.Alemagno,Ph.D., istheDeanoftheCollegeofPublicHealthandaProfessor
in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Kent State University. She has
focusedherresearchonsubstanceabuseandHIV/STDprevention,particularlyexamining
public health services delivered within criminal justice settings such as prisons and
detentioncenters.HerawardsincludeaNationalInstitutesofHealthCareerDevelopment
AwardfromtheNationalInstituteonDrugAbuseandtheUniversityofAkronOutstanding
ResearcherAwardin2005.Inaddition,shehasbeentheprincipalinvestigatoronseveral
projects including research funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for
DiseaseControl,theNationalInstituteofJustice,andtheSAMHSACenterforSubstance
AbuseTreatment.
Contributors
Timothy A. Akers Division of Research and Economic Development,
Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA
Susan L. Ames School of Community and Global Health, Claremont
Graduate University, Claremont, CA, USA
xi