Abstract

Principales enfoques y estrategias metodológicas empleados en la investigación del consumo de drogas: la experiencia en México. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2003, vol.19, n.2. ISSN 0864-2125.

At present, one of the most important characteristics of the drug consumption research is the large number of methodological alternatives put into practice by which this phenomenon has been studied and the best responses have been shown. This paper reviews the main research strategies for the study of drug demands in many countries, particularly in Mexico, outlining the advantages, limitations and possible combinations. It takes as a basis the narrations of anthropological research works, the implementation of case counting in institutions that later became register systems of persons using drugs, who are sent to sanitary posts or judicial centers; the survey-based research methodology, specialized data systems in the form of data reports on drugs or on epidemiological surveillance of drug consumption, the studies that use sampling techniques and the integration of many of these methodologies into a Drug Observatory model.

Keywords : SUBSTANCE-RELATED DISORDERS [epidemiology]; SUBSTANCE-RELATED DISORDERS [prevention & control]; STREET DRUGS; RESEARCH [methods]; DRUG AND NARCOTIC CONTROL; MEXICO.