Ethnography

Ethnography

Ethnography, the scientific study of people and their cultures, has a long tradition in anthropology and sociology with more recent applications in numerous fields. It focuses more on learning and modeling the point of view of a particular group than it does on testing a formal hypothesis. Agar (2006) states, “Ethnography names an epistemology – a way of knowing and a kind of knowledge that results – rather than a recipe or a particular focus.” Ethnography is often accomplished by employing multiple methods of study, including participant observation in real-life settings, conversations or in-depth interviews, journaling, field notes, and the review of documents by or about the people/site of interest.

Ethnographic research has been an important component in several SRC research studies. For example, an early study by founder David Nurco examined changing patterns of heroin use over a twenty year period. Another study used a combination of ethnography and epidemiological analysis to investigate and explain illicit drug epidemics. Recently, an ethnographic approach was used in understanding adolescent treatment approaches and the variation among the youth they served. Currently, ethnography informs a NIDA-funded study on entry and engagement in methadone treatment among adults by focusing on their biographical trajectories as compared with others who remain outside the treatment system.

FRI scientists currently working within this field include the following:

Lead Scientists Shannon Gwin Mitchell, Ph.D.

Health Disparities

Scientists at the SRC are currently engaged in a multidisciplinary program of research examining the individual, social, and environmental factors that contribute to poor health outcomes among individuals residing in socially and economically disadvantaged communities. Through the use of evidence based preventive intervention models, this research attempts to promote individual health-enhancing behaviors, improve community health practices, and increase the effectiveness of preventive strategies. It is anticipated that research findings will also assist in the design, development, and/or enhancement of programs and policies that attempt to reduce health disparities among disadvantaged and other vulnerable populations.

FRI scientists currently working within this field include the following:

Lead Scientists Thomas E. Hanlon, Ph.D.
Collaborating Scientists Steven B. Carswell, Ph.D.
Sharon M. Kelly, Ph.D.
Monique E. Wilson, Dr.P.H.

HIV / AIDS

Baltimore has been the epicenter of the HIV epidemic for several decades, and scientists at the SRC have a unique opportunity to study the prevention and treatment parameters of the short and long-term course of the epidemic. Currently, investigators at the SRC are focusing on the development and implementation of evidence based prevention programs among urban American Indians and African Americans. Utilizing a community based participatory research model as the foundation for these studies, scientists at the SRC are developing and testing new strategies and models for the prevention of substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and hepatitis.

FRI scientists currently working within this field include the following:

Lead Scientists Steven B. Carswell, Ph.D.
Collaborating Scientists Barry S. Brown Ph.D.
Monique E. Wilson, Dr.P.H.

Native American

The SRC is comprised of a multi-ethnic, interdisciplinary group of behavioral scientists who are committed to cultural awareness and sensitivity and the use of rigorous scientific methodologies in their various studies and in the communities in which they serve. In our recent past, health research involving Indigenous Peoples has typically been conducted by individuals who were not members of the group. Indigenous Peoples have had little representation in the development of the research process; moreover, they have had little influence on the interpretation and use of the resulting data. At the SRC, we recognize that differences in perception between non-indigenous and indigenous peoples affect the research process, and the Center has made a commitment to resolving this imbalance. Thus, our Native American research studies, which include the development and evaluation of evidence based prevention programs for high risk behaviors, are led by Native American research staff.

FRI scientists currently working within this field include the following:

Lead Scientists Diana H. Caldwell, Ph.D.
Collaborating Scientist Jan Gryczynski, M.A.

Pharmacological Therapy

Pharmacotherapy is an important and often underutilized approach in the treatment of addictive disease. Scientists at the SRC are conducting a number of research studies that test new medications for the treatment of addiction and that seek to examine the effective use of approved medications in novel settings. In addition, further research in this area examines the benefits of adding counseling to medication therapy. Through these studies, SRC scientists are hoping to expand the availability of effective treatments to addicted individuals and thereby improve patient outcomes, as well as public health and safety.

FRI scientists currently working within this field include the following:

Lead Scientists Robert P. Schwartz, M.D.
Collaborating Scientists Michael S. Gordon, D.P.A.
Jerome H. Jaffe, M.D.
Timothy W. Kinlock, Ph.D.

Prevention Science

Scientists at the SRC engage in a multidisciplinary program of prevention research that includes the study of the behavioral mechanisms underlying drug and alcohol abuse, methodology for conducting preventive trials, the causes and prevention of aggressive behavior, and the cross-cultural contributions to risk and protective factors. These studies seek to advance the science-base of prevention science through empirical research that utilizes a community based participatory research model. Involving the communities in which we live and work in the science of prevention will insure that the programs are sustained long after the researchers are gone. Utilizing the community based participatory research approach in our prevention science models is an indication of our scientific commitment to social responsibility.

FRI scientists currently working within this field include the following:

Lead Scientists Thomas E. Hanlon, Ph.D.
Collaborating Scientists Steven B. Carswell, Ph.D.
Shannon Gwin Mitchell, Ph.D.

Program Evaluation

Scientists at the SRC are involved in all aspects of program evaluation which includes the: 1) development of logic models, evaluation plans, and data collection tools; 2) coordination of primary data collection and oversight of data entry and integration; 3) utilization of a client oriented database, 4) expertise in qualitative and quantitative data analysis; and 5) development and implementation of program monitoring systems and evaluation feedback mechanisms. Several of the scientists at the SRC are national leaders in program evaluation and have developed and implemented successful program evaluations in multiple agencies, communities, and organizations.

FRI scientists currently working within this field include the following:

Lead Scientists Shannon Gwin Mitchell, Ph.D.
Collaborating Scientist Monique E. Wilson, Dr.P.H. 

Psychosocial Treatment

Drug addiction exacts a tremendous toll on individuals and society. Our scientists are engaged in the development and evaluation of approaches to increase entry and engagement in addiction treatment and to improve outcomes for patients enrolled in such treatment. Typically, the effectiveness of different psychosocial strategies is determined through the use of randomized clinical trials. Additionally, our scientists conduct longitudinal outcome studies using both quantitative and ethnographic approaches in order to discover ways of improving existing treatments. These two methods provide insight into what works and why it works and enable treatment providers and policymakers to improve treatment systems and to reduce the harmful impact addiction has on individuals, families and society.

FRI scientists currently working within this field include the following:

Lead Scientists Elizabeth E. Katz, Ph.D
Collaborating Scientist Thomas E. Hanlon, Ph.D.
Jerome H. Jaffe, M.D.
Sharon M. Kelly, Ph.D.
Timothy W. Kinlock, Ph.D.
Shannon Gwin Mitchell, Ph.D.
Robert P. Schwartz, M.D.
Monique E. Wilson, Dr.P.H. 

Survey Data Collection, Management & Analysis

The SRC maintains a supervisory staff of survey professionals, trained research interviewers, and data management specialists. The organization’s expertise in substance abuse research is grounded in its data collection and analysis capabilities, which include the use of innovative approaches to data gathering such as computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) and audio computer-assisted self-interviewing (audio-CASI) techniques. Through the use of such approaches, data reliability and validity is increased, the accuracy and efficiency of data entry is enhanced, and the data collection, management, and analysis process is streamlined.

FRI scientists currently working within this field include the following:

Lead Scientists Diana H. Caldwell, Ph.D.
Collaborating Scientist Monique E. Wilson, Dr.P.H.

Criminal Justice

The scientists at the SRC who are engaged in criminal justice research are primarily concerned with the development, implementation, and evaluation of innovative drug abuse treatment strategies for drug-dependent individuals under criminal justice supervision (e.g., pre-trial detainees, prisoners, probationers, and parolees). Their research assesses the impact of rehabilitative interventions on the frequency and severity of criminal activity, as well as on drug use. Moreover, it seeks to determine the extent to which these interventions assist newly released detainees and prisoners with issues central to their successful re-entry into society, such as legitimate employment and housing. Because these studies are unique in that they require collaboration between such diverse agencies as treatment, corrections, and research, each of which has different priorities and agendas, it is important to examine the implementation process.

Criminal justice research may also involve examining the relationship between various substance abuse patterns and criminal activity, both in general and for different types of individuals who may vary in terms of ethnicity, gender, age, and treatment responsiveness. Finally, research findings may assist practitioners and policy makers in the implementation of evidence-based interventions that will reduce drug dependence and criminal behavior.

FRI scientists currently working within this field include the following:

Lead Scientists Timothy W. Kinlock, Ph.D.
Collaborating Scientists Michael S. Gordon, D.P.A.
Thomas E. Hanlon Ph.D.
Sharon M. Kelly, Ph.D.
Shannon Gwin Mitchell, Ph.D.
Robert P. Schwartz, M.D.
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