Project
Synopsis
Use of online forums by Australian users of ecstasy, methamphetamine and other drugs: Making drug use safer or more dangerous?
This study explores online forum use by Australian ecstasy, methamphetamine and other drug users, and how the use of online forums influences drug use practices in ways that decrease or increase drug-related harm.
Participation in online forums where drugs are discussed has become more commonplace among Australian users of ecstasy, methamphetamine and other drugs. A review of the literature showed that many users of these drugs have an online presence, tend to source information about drugs online, and have access to a vast store of scientific and anecdotal drug-related information through use of the internet. What is yet to be explored is the way interactive online environments are utilised by this population. This project will examine one such environment: the online forum (also known as an internet forum, message board or bulletin board). We are interested in how online forum use may influence the way drugs are used, and the nature of the harms associated with that use. We hope to identify strategies used to manage these influences by individual drug users, forum moderators, and external organisations.
Data will be collected using forum text archives, web-based surveys and in-depth online interviewing. The results should help researchers, educators and policy makers respond to online drug-using individuals and groups in ways that encourage the reduction of drug-related harm.
Objectives
Primary Objective
To determine how the use of online forums by Australian ecstasy, methamphetamine and other drug users influences drug use practices in ways that may decrease or increase drug-related harm; and identify strategies used to manage these influences by individual drug users, forum moderators, and external organisations.
Secondary Objectives
- To explore online forums where use of these drugs is discussed, by describing both what is discussed and the online context in which the discussion takes place.
- To describe the demographic characteristics, drug and internet use history, motivations for forum use, and information-seeking attitudes and practices of a sample of both novice and experienced users of online forums where drugs are discussed.
- To investigate the relationship between participation in online forums where these drugs are discussed and participants' accounts of their experience of drug use.
Outcome
To recommend and inform the development of interventions and policies aimed at responding to online drug-using individuals and groups in ways that encourage safer drug use practices.
Significance
As one of the first of its kind, this investigation has the capacity to inform the development of interventions and policies aimed at responding to online drug-using individuals and groups in ways that encourage safer drug use practices. For example, formal drug user peer education programs (e.g. Ravesafe) could be adapted for online delivery. Also, the delay between the adoption of a particular drug-related practice, and this practice and related harms becoming known to researchers, educators and policy makers could potentially be reduced by monitoring online forums for new trends, resulting in more timely responses.
Approach
Mixed methods approach
The Drugs on Forums project follows a mixed methods approach. Three different kinds of data will be collected and analysed from publicly available documents and through participant responses to research ideas.
The project will involve the following:
- collection and analysis of publicly available documents such as online forum posts and websites;
- a web survey for forum users; and
- in-depth online interviews with forum users and moderators.
Mixed methods studies combine both quantitative and qualitative components. Quantitative research produces numerical data and typically operates under the assumption of an objective reality, whereas qualitative research produces texts and typically places value on interpreting phenonena within context. Thus, mixed methods studies value both objective and subjective meaning. Mixed methods studies are ideal for exploring a new research topic, because the inquiry results in both breadth and depth.
User-centred participatory approach
A user-centred participatory approach - which allows for engagement between the researcher and participants - will facilitate participant feedback into the research process and findings, to improve validity and acknowledge the value of drug user expertise.
Participatory approaches are becoming more common within both drug and internet studies. Characteristics of the internet facilitate maintaining an ongoing dialogue between researcher and participant. For example, participants can provide feedback online whilst remaining anonymous much more easily than if they were communicating face-to-face. This engaged approach gives participants a broader opportunity to take part in the project on their terms.
Maintaining an ongoing dialogue with participants is justified for two reasons: methodologically, it is a good way of checking the validity of emerging understandings, and ethically, all citizens have a basic right to increased involvement in research into issues that are important to them.
If you would like to get more involved with this project (or with drug research generally), contact Monica to discuss your options.
Data
Forums
Online discussion texts that are available in the public domain will be collected and analysed only after permission has been granted from online forum moderators. A notice containing project information will be posted and a discussion maintained with online forum participants.
Even though most of the forums are public, resulting publications will not mention the source of forum texts, or which forums took part in this study. This decision has been made to protect both the forums and individual forum members.
Forum moderators will also be approached for online interviews to discuss their particular forum's size, scope, aims, rules, and attitudes towards drugs. This will add to the overall understanding gained from reading and analysing online drug discussion.
Survey
The confidential, anonymous web survey will ask participants about their demographic characteristics, their drug and internet use history, information-seeking attitudes and practices, and motivations for using online forums and associated websites.
A pilot survey will be conducted with a small sample of online forum members to assist in survey design. Feedback will also be sought from research experts.
A link to the survey will be available on the front page of this website when the survey is launched. Contact Monica if you would like to be involved in the survey piloting.
Interviews
Confidential in-depth interviews will be conducted online using instant messaging. The online interview will investigate the relationship between participation in online forums where drugs are discussed and participants' accounts of their experience of drug use.
Web survey respondents will have the opportunity to enter contact details if they are interested in doing an in-depth interview. If you would like to be involved in an in-depth interview, complete the survey first and indicate that you are interested in this part of the study within the survey.
Progress
The data collection for the Drugs on Forums online survey has finished. Over the 6-month period it was online (2/10/07 to 3/4/08), 1322 responses were received. The main sample of 915 represents respondents who were located in Australia and had read or participated in online drug discussion in the past 6 months.
The average age of respondents in the main sample was 24 years (range 16-51), and 72% were male. All Australian states and territories were represented, however most of the sample lived in Victoria (29%), NSW (27%), WA (19%) or Qld (13%). Most respondents (79%) lived in capital cities.
Most (88%) were currently in paid employment and under half (44%) were studying at school, TAFE or university. Only 3% of the sample were unemployed or looking for work.
The sample spent an average of 24 hours online in a typical week. Almost all (96%) of the sample accessed the internet from home in a typical week, 43% from work and 21% from school/Uni/TAFE.
Most used online forums (86%) and social networking sites (83%) in a typical week. Most forum users (78%) were posting members with the remainder only reading/browsing.
Over half of the sample (54%) nominated some proportion of their friends that they had first met online, though for most people, this was just 'a few'. Almost all (90%) said their friends use the forums and social networking sites that they did.
Thanks to everyone who has supported the project. I look forward to presenting more results at a later date. Please note that these results are preliminary and are subject to change.
