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Exploring the Meanings and Contexts of Substance Use amongst Homeless Youth in Scotland

Exploring the Meanings and Contexts of Substance Use amongst Homeless Youth in Scotland. Jennifer Hoolachan, PhD Candidate. Three Dimensions…. Diverse Portrayals. Youth literature focuses on recreational substance use Homeless literature focuses on problematic substance use

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Exploring the Meanings and Contexts of Substance Use amongst Homeless Youth in Scotland

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  1. Exploring the Meanings and Contexts of Substance Use amongst Homeless Youth in Scotland Jennifer Hoolachan, PhD Candidate

  2. Three Dimensions…

  3. Diverse Portrayals • Youth literature focuses on recreational substance use • Homeless literature focuses on problematic substance use • What about substance users who are both young and homeless? Recreational or problematic?

  4. Substance Use Spectrum Source: A Public Health Approach to Drug Control in Canada Health Officers Council of British Columbia, October 2005

  5. Research Questions • What are homeless people’s perspectives as to why they consume drugs and/or alcohol? • What role does substance use have in their lives? • How does their homelessness interact with their substance use? • How does the physical and social contexts of their lives influence their substance use?

  6. Theoretical Framework • Symbolic Interactionism • George Herbert Mead (1863 – 1931) • Herbert George Blumer (1900 – 1987) • Blumer: SI rests on the following premises: • Human beings act toward things on the basis of the meanings that the things have for them • The meaning of such things is derived from, or arises out of, the social interaction that one has with one’s fellows • These meanings are handled in, and modified through, an interpretive process used by the person in dealing with the things he encounters

  7. Ethnography • Immersion in a social context for an extended period of time • Participant-observation • Field notes • Research diary • Ethnographic interviewing • Life history interviewing

  8. My Study • Eight months in a service that provides temporary accommodation for young people aged 16 – 25 years • Aim is to recruit a group of 10 – 15 young people and 4 – 6 staff members • Snowball sampling

  9. Ethics • Disclosure of illegal activities • “imminent and significant harm to the participant or another individual” • Maintaining confidentiality • Handling requests from participants • Leaving the field

  10. Risks to Researcher • Legal risks • Picked up by police • Expected to “snitch” • Health risks • Blood borne viruses • Stress • Personal risks • Risk of being attacked

  11. Any Questions? j.e.hoolachan@stir.ac.uk

  12. National Drug Related Deaths Database • Collects the following data in relation to individuals who have died in Scotland in a given calendar year from a drug related death (i.e. overdose): • Demographics (gender, age, race etc.) • Living arrangements • Previous incidents of non-fatal overdose • Medical and psychiatric history • Contact with treatment services • Involvement in criminal justice system • Toxicology • Substitute prescribing (e.g. methadone)

  13. What did I learn? • A lot about drug related deaths! • The availability of various sources of literature • How to write a Government/ISD report • How teams within the Government and NHS are structured and the corresponding politics • How to handle myself at meetings with stakeholders and present ‘need-to-know’ information • That people really do look to you as being the expert in a given area

  14. Working at the SG Pros • Fast-stream • Work in all areas of policy • Up-to-date on ‘hot’ policy areas • Lots of networking Cons • No guarantee you will work in a policy area related to your research interest • No primary research • Politics!

  15. Any questions? j.e.hoolachan@stir.ac.uk

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