Interview Will Be of Immense

¶ … interview will be of immense value in answering several particular details of the research question selected for this study. Responses to these instruments will be the only way to determine rates of alcohol and drug use among the sample population, and to develop a potential understanding of underlying factors as seen from the subjects' perspective.

Have you ever used illegal drugs? Have you ever used alcohol? Do you currently use drugs? If yes, how frequently? Do you currently drink alcohol? If so, how much and how regularly? What circumstances/reasons might cause you to take drugs or drink alcohol? Do you feel alcohol or drug use has affected your activities? Have you observed others abusing drugs or alcohol in the past year? Month? Week?

Both the interview and the questionnaire surveys will be given in person, though the questionnaires will be left with the research subjects to be filled out and returned at a later date. Interviews will be conducted in person, allowing for extended responses and specific follow-up questions and thus providing a more extensive scope and more abundant qualitative detail to this research.

4)

There are some definite cultural considerations that would be at work in conducting this research, including the fact that drug use and alcoholism are not as freely discussed among members of older generations as they are among younger individuals. This can be overcome by a frank explanation of the study's area of inquiry from the outset, and respect for boundaries set during the interview as well as the anonymity of the questionnaires.

Part B

Blay, S., Batista, a., Andreoli, a. & Gastal, F. (2008). The Relationship Between Religiosity and Tobacco, Alcohol Use, and Depression in an Elderly Community Population. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 16(11): 934-43.