This is an ethnographic account of peer learning among a group of heroin 'addicts' in Delhi, India. This study responds to the limited attention given to 'naturalistic' or 'informal' peer learning patterns in the educational literature, and the lack of explicit exploration of the phenomenon among drug user populations. The study involved seven and a half months of fieldwork with the predominant use of participant observation and semi-structured interviews to generate data. Analysis was inductive and interpretive with the use of situated learning theory to 'tease out' patterns in the data. The participants were using and non-using addicts affiliated to SHARAN, a non-governmental organization (NGO) in the religious marketplace of Yamuna Bazaar. The group included approximately 300-500 members, 20 of whom were main informants. Analysis of the group organization revealed community-based and masculinity-based characteristics that enabled the group to manage stigma, promote 'positive' ideals, and co-construct nonhegemonic masculinities. Peer-based outreach was identified as a form of 'institutional' peer learning in which peer educators performed the roles of 'doctor', 'role model', and 'counsellor' during interactions with 'clients' that had the effect of disempowering clients in many cases. The practice of poetry in which peers created couplets in alternating exchanges was identified as one form of naturalistic peer learning that entailed processes of legitimate peripheral participation, meaning negotiation, and reflective learning. Street 'doctory' in which peers provided medical care in the form of procedures, illness discussions, and health consultancy was identified as another naturalistic peer learning pattern involving processes of legitimate peripheral participation, meaning negotiation, and learning through teaching. These findings suggest that naturalistic peer learning involved co-participatory processes that manifested in a diversity of everyday practices. It is recommended that engaging these processes and practices would be useful for interventions, while further research should explore such patterns in other contexts.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of Medicine, Western Hospital, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 145-181).

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-91).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1974. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliography.

Thesis (Doctoral)- / Includes bibliographical references.

Heroin use and dependency is a growing concern within South Africa, individuals face difficulty in remaining abstinent from the use of heroin due to constant relapse. The opioid antagonist known as the naltrexone pellet implant offers an alternative form of aid to relapse prevention in the recovery and abstinence from heroin dependency. This qualitative study explored the subjective experiences and perceptions of heroin dependent individuals, that made use of the naltrexone pellet implant. This study was rooted in the interpretive, qualitative paradigm where a phenomenological research design was used. Participants were selected using a purposive, snowball sampling technique and four individuals who had made use of the naltrexone pellet implant for the aid in heroin dependency for a minimum of three-months were interviewed. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to extract recurrent themes across participants. The findings suggested that the use of the naltrexone pellet implant was beneficial in the aid for relapse prevention from heroin use. Furthermore, the exploration of difficulties that were faced in remaining abstinent, the attempt to make use of the naltrexone pellet implant and the physical and psychological aspects regarding the use of this alternative method of remaining abstinent were explored in this study. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology (Research Consultation))

Methadone treatment continues to be the most widely used treatment modality for heroin addiction despite continued controversy. The efficacy of methadone treatment has been determined primarily by statistical research of program outcomes. This study explored heroin addicts' perceptions of methadone treatment.

by Cheung Wai-ting. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-142). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1 --- The Research Problem --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Literature Review / Chapter 2.1 --- Prohibitionist Approach --- p.7 / Chapter 2.2 --- Medical-Treatment Approach --- p.8 / Chapter 2.3 --- How Should We Understand Post-Treatment Drug Use Behavior ？ --- p.14 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Analytical Framework / Chapter 3.1 --- Social Capital Theory --- p.24 / Chapter 3.2 --- Differential Association Theory and Social Capital --- p.26 / Chapter 3.3 --- Control Theory and Social Capital --- p.31 / Chapter 3.4 --- Labeling Theory --- p.39 / Chapter 3.5 --- Self-Efficacy Theory --- p.44 / Chapter 3.6 --- The Hypotheses --- p.48 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Methodology / Chapter 4.1 --- Data and Sample --- p.52 / Chapter 4.2 --- General Profile of Respondents --- p.54 / Chapter 4.3 --- Conceptualization and Operationalization of Variables --- p.57 / Chapter 4.4 --- Method of Data Analysis --- p.66 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Results / Chapter 5.1 --- Quantitative Analysis --- p.68 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Bivariate Analysis / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Path Analysis / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Verification of Hypotheses / Chapter 5.2 --- Qualitative Analysis --- p.86 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Summary and Discussion / Chapter 6.1 --- The Study --- p.112 / Chapter 6.2 --- Summary of Findings --- p.113 / Chapter 6.3 --- Theoretical Implications --- p.117 / Chapter 6.4 --- Practical Implications --- p.120 / Chapter 6.5 --- Limitations and Suggestions for Future Research --- p.122 / Appendix I Interview Schedule --- p.125 / Appendix II Socio-demographic Profile of the Ten Informants --- p.127 / Bibliography --- p.130

Poisoning is frequently associated with psychological and physiological co-morbidities that can be assessed in order to improve patients' management and reduce cost. The primary objective of this study is to conduct a review of emergency department (ED) poisonings to characterize its demographics and assess associated co-morbidities. The second objective is to explore correlation between personal history of diseases and poisonings. Predictors for poisonings and its outcomes were investigated and risk factors for suicidal poisoning and how it relates to mental illnesses were explored. Six hundred and forty nine cases admitted to ED between 2004 and 2007 were studied. Results indicate that difference in ethnic background was substantial as poisoning cases were predominantly African Americans (79.9%) between 36-45 years old with a male to female ratio of 1.3. Intentional illicit drug overdose was the greatest risk factor for ED poisonings, and among the 649 cases, heroin overdose was the most common cause of poisoning at 35.4% (n=230), cocaine overdose at 31.7% (n=206), heroin and cocaine overdose at 4.3% (n=28), multiple drug poisoning at 5.5% (n=36), and antidepressant/antipsychotic poisoning at 6% (n=39). A significant correlation between heroin poisonings and asthma (F=20.29, DF=1, p= .0001) was found, as well as between cocaine poisoning and hypertension (F=33.34, DF=1, p=.0001), and cocaine poisoning and cardiovascular diseases (F=35.34, DF=1, p=.0001). Another significant finding is the change in the pattern of the route of illicit drug use from injection to inhalation; it is thought this may reduce the rate of HIV and Hepatitis transmission via hypodermic needles among illicit drug users. As well, inhalation and insufflation may be risk factors that aggravate preexisting asthma. Mental illnesses, chiefly depression, remain one of the greatest risk factors for suicidal poisoning beside age, Hispanic race, gender, ingestion route and unemployment. This study provides supporting evidence that poisoning, particularly deliberate poisoning with illicit drugs remains a serious issue that significantly aggravates co-morbidities and raises treatment cost by increasing both the rate of hospitalization and hospital length of stay (LOS). Pragmatic guidelines and innovations in reducing heroin and cocaine abuse in these patients may lessen the severity of diseases and reduce its burden on the healthcare system and on society.

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