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Nomination techniques in the study of largely invisible groups: Opiate users not at drug dependence clinics

1976; Elsevier BV; Volume: 10; Issue: 7-8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0037-7856(76)90099-8

1879-2987

Herbert H. Blumberg, B. Elizabeth Dronfield,

Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

Abstract Little has been known about people in Britain who inject drugs without attending drug dependence treatment clinics. To illustrate how one might find out about such a hidden group a sample of 115 people who contacted any London drug clinic were asked to nominate and describe acquaintances who injected drugs. Such acquaintances who did not attend a clinic were generally similar to acquaintances who did, except that the non-clinic ones were more likely to be employed, had injected over a shorter time and, inasmuch as they were not receiving a prescription, less frequently used methadone or English heroin. Various procedures are used for evaluating the generalizability of the findings. Results were found to be reasonably consistent over time, across cohorts, across acquaintances (both within and across respondents) and across sampling modes. It is suggested that nomination techniques be used for studying other hidden groups that are socially linked to an available sample.