TY - JOUR
T1 - Methamphetamine use in Central Germany
T2 - Protocol for a qualitative study exploring requirements and challenges in healthcare from the professionals' perspective
AU - Hoffmann, Laura
AU - Schumann, Nadine
AU - Fankhaenel, Thomas
AU - Thiel, Carolin
AU - Klement, Andreas
AU - Richter, Matthias
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited.
PY - 2016/6/1
Y1 - 2016/6/1
N2 - Introduction The synthetic drug methamphetamine with its high addiction potential is associated with substantial adverse health effects. In Germany, especially Central Germany, the increase in the consumption of methamphetamine has exceeded that of other illegal drugs. The treatment system and service providers are facing new challenges due to this rise in consumption. This qualitative study will explore the demand created by the increasing healthcare needs of methamphetamine-addicted persons in Central Germany, and the difficulty of rehabilitating addicted people. Methods and analysis The collection of empirical data will take place in a consecutive, two-stage process. In the first part of data collection, the experiences and perspectives of 40 professionals from numerous healthcare sectors for methamphetamine-addicted persons will be explored with the help of semistructured face-to-face interviews and probed by the research team. These findings will be discussed in 2 focus groups consisting of the participants of the face-to-face interviews; these group discussions comprise the second part of the data collection process. The interviews will be audio recorded, transcribed, and then subjected to qualitative content analysis. Ethics and dissemination All interviewees will receive comprehensive written information about the study, and sign a declaration of consent prior to the interview. The study will comply rigorously with data protection legislation. The research team has obtained the approval of the Ethical Review Committee at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. The results of the study will be published in high-quality, peer-reviewed international journals, presented at several congresses and used to design follow-up research projects.
AB - Introduction The synthetic drug methamphetamine with its high addiction potential is associated with substantial adverse health effects. In Germany, especially Central Germany, the increase in the consumption of methamphetamine has exceeded that of other illegal drugs. The treatment system and service providers are facing new challenges due to this rise in consumption. This qualitative study will explore the demand created by the increasing healthcare needs of methamphetamine-addicted persons in Central Germany, and the difficulty of rehabilitating addicted people. Methods and analysis The collection of empirical data will take place in a consecutive, two-stage process. In the first part of data collection, the experiences and perspectives of 40 professionals from numerous healthcare sectors for methamphetamine-addicted persons will be explored with the help of semistructured face-to-face interviews and probed by the research team. These findings will be discussed in 2 focus groups consisting of the participants of the face-to-face interviews; these group discussions comprise the second part of the data collection process. The interviews will be audio recorded, transcribed, and then subjected to qualitative content analysis. Ethics and dissemination All interviewees will receive comprehensive written information about the study, and sign a declaration of consent prior to the interview. The study will comply rigorously with data protection legislation. The research team has obtained the approval of the Ethical Review Committee at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. The results of the study will be published in high-quality, peer-reviewed international journals, presented at several congresses and used to design follow-up research projects.
KW - QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
KW - methamphetamine
KW - rehabilitation
KW - study protocol
KW - treatment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84974738189&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011445
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011445
M3 - Article
C2 - 27256092
AN - SCOPUS:84974738189
SN - 2044-6055
VL - 6
JO - BMJ Open
JF - BMJ Open
IS - 6
M1 - e011445
ER -