Positive and negative aspects of participation in illicit drug research: Implications for recruitment and ethical conduct

Improved understanding of incentives and barriers to drug user research participation may improve study recruitment, retention and outcomes and enhance the ethical acceptability of illicit drug research. In Melbourne, Australia during 2001-2004, 507 injecting drug users were recruited from Needle an...

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Main Authors: Barratt, Monica, Norman, J., Fry, C.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier BV 2007
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30791
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author Barratt, Monica
Norman, J.
Fry, C.
author_facet Barratt, Monica
Norman, J.
Fry, C.
author_sort Barratt, Monica
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Improved understanding of incentives and barriers to drug user research participation may improve study recruitment, retention and outcomes and enhance the ethical acceptability of illicit drug research. In Melbourne, Australia during 2001-2004, 507 injecting drug users were recruited from Needle and Syringe Programs and asked to nominate the 'best' and 'worst' things about research. Commonly reported positive aspects of drug research were its capacity to provide valid information about drug use (39%), the potential to improve drug-related policies and practices (20%) and benefits to the community (14%). Reported negative aspects of drug research included concerns about lack of, or negative impact of research findings (31%), and personal dislikes about research projects, such as discomfort (27%), inconvenience (21%) and risk (9%). IDU may participate in non-intervention research because of expected benefits for themselves and others, and may be discouraged from involvement by personal discomfort, inconvenience and risk, or a perceived lack of impact or benefit. To enhance recruitment to non-intervention research and fulfil ethical obligations investigators should (1) actively consider how best to minimise the IDU-defined negative aspects of research, and (2) clarify for prospective participants the intended impact of the research on policy and practice.
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-307912017-09-13T15:52:51Z Positive and negative aspects of participation in illicit drug research: Implications for recruitment and ethical conduct Barratt, Monica Norman, J. Fry, C. Barriers Research participation Ethics Injecting drug use Incentives Drugs Improved understanding of incentives and barriers to drug user research participation may improve study recruitment, retention and outcomes and enhance the ethical acceptability of illicit drug research. In Melbourne, Australia during 2001-2004, 507 injecting drug users were recruited from Needle and Syringe Programs and asked to nominate the 'best' and 'worst' things about research. Commonly reported positive aspects of drug research were its capacity to provide valid information about drug use (39%), the potential to improve drug-related policies and practices (20%) and benefits to the community (14%). Reported negative aspects of drug research included concerns about lack of, or negative impact of research findings (31%), and personal dislikes about research projects, such as discomfort (27%), inconvenience (21%) and risk (9%). IDU may participate in non-intervention research because of expected benefits for themselves and others, and may be discouraged from involvement by personal discomfort, inconvenience and risk, or a perceived lack of impact or benefit. To enhance recruitment to non-intervention research and fulfil ethical obligations investigators should (1) actively consider how best to minimise the IDU-defined negative aspects of research, and (2) clarify for prospective participants the intended impact of the research on policy and practice. 2007 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30791 10.1016/j.drugpo.2006.07.001 Elsevier BV restricted
spellingShingle Barriers
Research participation
Ethics
Injecting drug use
Incentives
Drugs
Barratt, Monica
Norman, J.
Fry, C.
Positive and negative aspects of participation in illicit drug research: Implications for recruitment and ethical conduct
title Positive and negative aspects of participation in illicit drug research: Implications for recruitment and ethical conduct
title_full Positive and negative aspects of participation in illicit drug research: Implications for recruitment and ethical conduct
title_fullStr Positive and negative aspects of participation in illicit drug research: Implications for recruitment and ethical conduct
title_full_unstemmed Positive and negative aspects of participation in illicit drug research: Implications for recruitment and ethical conduct
title_short Positive and negative aspects of participation in illicit drug research: Implications for recruitment and ethical conduct
title_sort positive and negative aspects of participation in illicit drug research: implications for recruitment and ethical conduct
topic Barriers
Research participation
Ethics
Injecting drug use
Incentives
Drugs
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30791