Biomedical subjects

Dike van de Mheen

Publications and source records attributed to Dike van de Mheen.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The rise of the mobile phone in the hard drug scene of Rotterdam.

The rise of mobile phone dealing in the retail market of heroin and cocaine in the city of Rotterdam is described. Multiple methods were used for the study, including analysis of street survey data (1998, 2000, 2003), qualitative and quantitative analysis of fieldwork data, and semi-open interviews with drug users and key informants. In 2000, 70% of the respondents to a street survey bought drugs from a mobile dealer. Qualitative data showed that the majority of mobile dealers have an ethnic Moroccan background; the reasons for this may include the ambiguous attitude of the Moroccan community towards drug crime, and repressive legislation causing the market to find alternatives for basic street dealing. The rise of mobile dealing is discussed as a form of reshaping of the drug market under prohibition.

Cell Phone↗

PubMed2006

Drug users' participation in addiction care: different groups do different things.

This study allocated 201 (nearly) daily users of heroin and/or crack into four groups, depending on their addiction care participation. Earlier studies have compared treatment groups and nontreatment groups. In this study the treatment group is divided into three categories: (1) drug users in contact with only treatment agencies--i.e., methadone maintenance, clinical and ambulant drug treatment; (2) drugs users in contact with only care agencies--i.e., day and night shelters and drug consumption rooms, which have no explicit aims to change patterns of drug use; and (3) drug users in contact with both treatment and care agencies. This allocation intro three different groups fits the notion of harm reduction, one of the policy aims in The Netherlands. The fourth group consists of drug users in contact with neither treatment nor care agencies. The results show that it is useful to distinguish these four categories, instead of two. The four groups are different from each other with respect to some of their characteristics (e.g. debt situation, prostitution, homelessness) and their drug use (e.g. drug use in public, use of crack, and use of other drugs). A much clearer distinction can be made between the "care" group and the "treatment and care" group. Treatment and care agencies can thus better match their services to their clients or patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Street-level effects of local drug policy on marginalization and hardening: an ethnographic study among chronic drug users.

This study focuses on the effects of increased enforcement on marginalization of and quality of relations between chronic drug users in the region of Parkstad Limburg (The Netherlands). Data were mainly gathered by ethnographic community fieldwork, verified by interviews with key informants and supported by a survey sample of 100 drug users. The results show direct effects of repression on stigmatization and marginalization of drug users, and on the availability of drugs. More indirect effects are the hectic reactions of drug users and dealers, greater visibility of drug users in public places, and increased tensions in and deterioration of relations between the drug users. The impact of the increased enforcement on reports of drug-related nuisance in general population surveys and on police control is also discussed.

Anthropology, Cultural↗

PubMed2005

Illicit drug use and injuries: A review of emergency room studies.

The reviewed emergency room studies (n = 11) show overall prevalence rates of illicit drug use of 35-40% in studies using blood and urine toxicology and 1-5% in self-report studies. Cannabis and cocaine are the substances most prevalent in these studies, with a higher prevalence of cocaine in emergency rooms in the USA than in other countries where cannabis is the most common substance. Illicit drugs and alcohol are often used in combination. No relationship was found between injury severity and illicit drug use. Less clear associations emerged concerning patient and injury characteristics and illicit drug use. However, illicit drug use seems to be more common in men aged 20-40 years and is strongly associated with violence-related injuries. Variations in the prevalence rates and patient characteristics can partly be explained by locale and/or country of research. Moreover, because methodological differences influence the study outcomes, methodological aspects of emergency room studies should be taken into consideration when interpreting the results.

Emergency Medical Services↗

PubMed2005

Self-reported alcohol use among Dutch emergency room patients: variations in prevalence rates owing to methodological differences.

AIMS: This study compared different methods of assessing self-reported alcohol use among emergency room patients in order to explain the variations in reported prevalence rates. METHODS: Alcohol use prior to patient's injury or illness was assessed in one hospital by a self-report questionnaire in three different ways: (i) administered by emergency room staff, (ii) administered by research staff, or (iii) sent to the patient's home by post. RESULTS: Results show variations in self-reported alcohol use 6 h prior to the injury or illness ranging from 4.6 to 9.1%; these variations may be explained by sample selection bias and characteristics of the included study populations. When self-report is combined with staff judgement the corresponding prevalence rates are 6.8% for research staff and 16.2% for emergency room staff. This shows that the latter judge the patient's alcohol use more efficiently than the research staff. Using research staff 24 h a day resulted in almost no sample bias. Data collection via emergency room staff leads to the highest alcohol use prevalence rates and to the highest sample bias; this was influenced by the emergency room characteristics. A retrospective mail survey results in an older sample with age-related (lower) alcohol use and emergency room characteristics related to this age group. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies using patient self-report among emergency room samples should consider carefully the influence of sample selection bias. The combination of the research staff handing out the questionnaire and the emergency room staff giving their judgement on the patient's alcohol use seems to be a useful method.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Tracing selection effects in three non-probability samples.

Snowball sampling and targeted sampling are widely applied techniques to recruit samples from hidden populations, such as problematic drug users. The disadvantage is that they yield non-probability samples which cannot be generalised to the population. Despite thorough preparatory mapping procedures, selection effects continue to occur. This paper proposes an interpretation frame that allows estimating the direction of selection bias after data collection. Critical examination of the recruitment procedure and comparison with statistical and non-statistical external data sources are the core features of the interpretation frame. Applying the interpretation frame increases insight into the reliability of the results and allows to estimate where selection bias may have occurred.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Drug consumption rooms in rotterdam: an explorative description.

The Rotterdam Drug Monitoring System used survey data, fieldnotes and interviews with staff to investigate the functioning of four (out of six) consumption rooms in Rotterdam. The results show that for most drug users, access to the drug consumption room results in less frequent drug use in public places and more time and rest. Pass holders value being able to use drugs safely inside, and make use of the additional services provided, such as refreshments, washing/showering facilities and talking with others about their personal problems. Two 'weak points' reported by the drug users are discussed in relation to their personal health situation and public nuisance reduction.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

The impact of smoking and drinking on plasma levels of norharman.

The hypothesized role of the beta-carboline norharman in processes of drug dependence forms the basis for several studies on plasma levels of norharman among substance-using populations, particularly among alcoholics and smokers. However, it is not clear whether norharman is implicated in processes of dependence to both substances, or only to tobacco smoke. In the present study plasma concentrations of norharman were measured among four groups of participants regarding heavy smokers who do or do not drink alcohol excessively and nonsmokers who do or do not drink alcohol excessively. All measurements were conducted on three different days with an interval of 2 months in between and at three times during the day to account for possible circadian or seasonal variations. Results showed that elevated plasma levels of norharman appear only in heavy smokers regardless of their drinking profile. The norharman plasma levels of nonsmoking excessive drinkers showed a similar pattern to that of the control group. The findings indicate that elevated plasma levels of norharman are due to heavy smoking and not to excessive drinking.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Homeless drug users in Rotterdam, the Netherlands: profile, way of life, and the need for assistance.

Decreasing the number of homeless drug users is one of the main characteristics of inner city drugs policy. The present study selected an urban-ethnographic perspective (the subculture theory) in order to explore why one drug user is homeless and another 7 not, and to attempt to describe and define the homeless and their immediate social environment. These issues were formulated into the following research questions: 1. What are the sociodemographic characteristics of homeless drug users in Rotterdam, and do they differ from domiciled drug users? 2. What are their living conditions? 3. What are the reasons for being homeless? 4. Does the period of homelessness play a role in the need to change one's lifestyle? Five research methods were employed for this study: a literature search, interviews with key persons, field notes from community fieldworkers, a survey among drug users (n = 204), and photographic reports from six homeless users. Data were collected in 1998/1999. The results document that in our study population there were more women, more illegal persons, and more foreigners than among domiciled drug users, and that the homeless group used heroin and cocaine on more days. A large proportion of the homeless users had no identity papers and no health insurance. This did not, however, lead to more self-reported sickness or a higher prevalence of infectious diseases compared with nonhomeless drug users. Easily accessible (low threshold) social care centers and assistance are very important. Few of the homeless had voluntarily chosen a homeless life-most describe an event that was a trigger for their homelessness. The average duration of being homeless was 17 months, and the longer someone had been homeless the less inclined they were to change their situation. This paper also discusses policymaking implications.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Non-response bias in a sample survey on alcohol consumption.

In a non-response follow-up study, non-respondents of the original mailed questionnaire were approached again by house visits in order to compare their alcohol consumption with that of the respondents of the same mailed questionnaire. Differences in alcohol consumption between respondents and non-respondents were found. There is strong evidence for overrepresentation of non-response among abstainers, but weak evidence among frequent excessive drinkers.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Estimating non-response bias in a survey on alcohol consumption: comparison of response waves.

AIMS: According to 'the continuum of resistance model' late respondents can be used as a proxy for non-respondents in estimating non-response bias. In the present study, the validity of this model was explored and tested in three surveys on alcohol consumption. METHODS: The three studies collected their data by means of mailed questionnaires on alcohol consumption whereby two studies also performed a non-response follow-up. RESULTS: Comparisons of early respondents, late respondents and non-respondents in one study showed some support for 'the continuum of resistance model', although another study could not confirm this result. Comparison of alcohol consumption between three time response groups showed no significant linear pattern of differences between response waves. CONCLUSIONS: The hypothesis that late respondents are more similar to non-respondents than early respondents, could not be confirmed or rejected. Repeated mailings are effective in obtaining a greater sample size, but seem ineffective in improving the representativeness of alcohol consumption surveys.

Adolescent↗