The Dynamics of Methamphetamine Markets: A Systematic Approach to the Process

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究的明确目的是促进我们对甲基苯丙胺市场的组织和运作的认识和理解。具体目的是研究市场动态。为了支持NIDA将“科学的力量用于药物滥用和成瘾”的使命，长期目标是提高我们研究甲基苯丙胺市场对周边社区公共健康和安全影响的能力。这项研究的目的将通过一个分三个阶段的过程来实现，最后将对美国九个不同城市或县的甲基苯丙胺市场进行全面的过程研究。借鉴综合性社区倡议研究的最新发展，进程研究将采用变革理论方法，从当地利益攸关方的角度研究当地零售市场，包括经销商和使用者（例如，被捕者、治疗客户）、社区组织者和提供者、当地禁毒警察和当地公共卫生官员。初步阶段将对代表美国各市和县的约1.8万名答复者进行筛选评估，以获得有关甲基苯丙胺市场活动和当地参与情况的基本信息。由于提案中所述的原因，这些答复者将由缉毒警察查明并通过当地警察局长联系。从这一筛选中，将选出75个城市或县进入第二阶段，这一阶段将与在第一阶段被确定为最有知识和能力了解、欣赏和进入当地甲基苯丙胺市场的缉毒警察进行半结构化电话访谈。他们将被问及有关当地甲基苯丙胺市场的更详细的问题，并通过一种创新的网格方法将市场定位在精确的地理位置。通过分析前两个阶段收集的数据，将选择9个城市或县进行流程研究。目标是包括三个拥有成熟市场的城市或县，三个拥有新兴市场的城市或县，三个拥有新市场的城市或县。此外，地点的选择将根据当地市场的数量和相对稳定性等因素来代表可变性。数据将通过深度访谈、焦点小组和系统观察收集。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The explicit purpose of this research is to contribute to our knowledge and understanding of methamphetamine markets in terms of their organization and operation. The specific aim is to study market dynamics. In support of NIDA's mission to bring "the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction," the longer term aim is to improve our ability to study the impact of methamphetamine markets on public health and safety in surrounding communities. The aims of this research will be accomplished through a three-stage process culminating in a comprehensive process study of methamphetamine markets in nine different cities or counties in the United States. Borrowing from recent developments in the study of comprehensive community initiatives, the process study will use a theory of change approach to study local retail markets from the perspectives of local stakeholders including dealers and users (e.g., arrestees, treatment clients), community organizers and providers, local narcotics police, and local public health officials. The initial stage will involve a screening assessment of approximately 18,000 respondents representing U.S. cities and counties to obtain basic information about methamphetamine market activity and participation in local areas. For reasons described in the proposal, these respondents will be narcotics police identified and contacted through local police chiefs. From this screening, 75 cities or counties will be selected for the second stage, which will involve semi-structured telephone interviews with narcotics police identified in the first stage as having the greatest knowledge and ability to understand, appreciate, and access their local methamphetamine markets. They will be asked more detailed questions about local methamphetamine markets, and through an innovative grid approach to locate the markets in precise geographic spots. From analysis of the data collected in the first two stages, 9 cities or counties will be selected for the process study. The goal is to include three cities or counties with established markets, three with emerging markets, and three with new markets. In addition, sites will be selected to represent variability in terms of things like the number and relative stability of local markets. Data will be collected through in depth interviews, focus groups, and systematic observation.