Northern 20 illicit drugs To gain an understanding of Qualitative Design Many participants recalled positive experiences Small sample size makes it 70% and Ireland users from across drug users experiences of Focus Groups of being cared for by specialist addiction staff difficult to generalise the McKenna N.Ireland Healthcare Professionals Open Questions regarding past The of healthcare professionals being findings (2000) and their treatment experiences of help seeking and uncaring was raised in relation to general Use of focus group - treatment healthcare professionals rather than addiction potential for one or two Content Analysis specialists clients to dominate. Participants also raised the issue of healthcare professionals lack of training and knowledge about working with drug addicts Participants also recognized that their behaviour can be challenging for healthcare professions and admitted to lying and withholding information All participants thought GPS needed more education regarding drug use Participants perceived themselves as being loathed by healthcare professionals McLaughlin UK 35 Healthcare To explore the perceptions Qualitative Design Some professional stated that they did not want Focus groups can lead to bias 65% – et al. (2006) Northern professionals in and clinical experiences of Purposive Sampling to treat illicit drug users as a result of domination by Ireland total: 32 in focus health and social care groups and 1:1 interviews Many professionals held negative of clients other participants groups (14 GPs. 3 professionals towards illicit Interview Schedule addressed e.g. they’re devious/manipulative Due to methodology – health visitors, a drug users professionals experiences of drug One Health visitor highlighted having findings cannot be social worker and a users, differences between drug preconceived views of drug users before getting generalised health promotion users and other patients, how the to know them, yet stated once hearing their story Individual interviews may worker) 3 treatment/care of drug users may be these views change to feelings of compassion also have been biased – participants had affected, who should care for them, A lack of education regarding illicit drug use was social desirability? individual how drug users perceive linked to difficulties working with this client interviews (2 GPs professionals group and 1 Health Content Analysis Many held pessimistic views with regards to visitor) treatment outcomes Some participants did identify some positive experiences of working with drug users and expressed a willingness to care for them
and McKenna (2000) Northern Ireland 20 illicit drugs users from across N.Ireland To gain an understanding of drug users experiences of Healthcare Professionals and their treatment Qualitative Design Focus Groups Open Questions regarding past experiences of help seeking and treatment Content Analysis Many participants recalled positive experiences of being cared for by specialist addiction staff The of healthcare professionals being uncaring was raised in relation to general healthcare professionals rather than addiction specialists Participants also raised the issue of healthcare professionals lack of training and knowledge about working with drug addicts Participants also recognized that their behaviour can be challenging for healthcare professions and admitted to lying and withholding information All participants thought GPS needed more education regarding drug use Participants perceived themselves as being loathed by healthcare professionals Small sample size makes it difficult to generalise the findings Use of focus group - potential for one or two clients to dominate. 70% McLaughlin et al. (2006) UK – Northern Ireland 35 Healthcare professionals in total: 32 in focus groups (14 GPs. 3 health visitors, a social worker and a health promotion worker) 3 participants had individual interviews (2 GPs and 1 Health visitor) To explore the perceptions and clinical experiences of health and social care professionals towards illicit drug users Qualitative Design Purposive Sampling groups and 1:1 interviews Interview Schedule addressed professionals experiences of drug users, differences between drug users and other patients, how the treatment/care of drug users may be affected, who should care for them, how drug users perceive professionals Content Analysis Some professional stated that they did not want to treat illicit drug users Many professionals held negative of clients e.g. they’re devious/manipulative One Health visitor highlighted having preconceived views of drug users before getting to know them, yet stated once hearing their story these views change to feelings of compassion A lack of education regarding illicit drug use was linked to difficulties working with this client group Many held pessimistic views with regards to treatment outcomes Some participants did identify some positive experiences of working with drug users and expressed a willingness to care for them Focus groups can lead to bias as a result of domination by other participants Due to methodology – findings cannot be generalised Individual interviews may also have been biased – social desirability? 65%