Interviewing Illicit Drug Users: Observations from the Field

Abstract

Matched case control studies are rare within the field of illicit drug research. This paper describes the practical problems involved in undertaking such a project, and details some of the issues that arose in conducting in-depth longitudinal interviews with illicit drug users. Some problems were specific to a matched case design, some were common to most social research: establishing trust, trying to ensure privacy during the interview, and possible communication problems. Others were more pertinent to interviews with illicit drug users: respondent intoxication, potential mental health problems, concerns about possible aggression, and dilemmas about witnessing illegal acts. This paper aims to make explicit the process of conducting longitudinal research with illicit drug users in the hope that it will encourage other social researchers to share their experiences and their strategies for negotiating fieldwork obstacles and hazards.

Key Words:

• Illicit drug use
• Research methods
• Interviewing
• Matched case control
• Fieldwork