REPORT REVIEW--TRANSNATIONALISM AND DRUG ABUSE: A STUDY ON NEPALESE DRUG ABUSERS IN HONG KONG

Semester 2 2012-13; Presentation Group 03Chan Long Him Billy 11505947gLeung Chi Hang Clement 12011702gWong Shiu Hung Brian 12019291g Yiu Ka Chi Maggie 11554099g

Background Info

Social context of drug abuse in Hong Kong Situation:

Increased drug abusers of age below 21 (2,207 in 2003 to 3,387 in 2009) according to Central Registry of Drug Abuse (CDRA);

Slight increase of drug abusers from Nepalese and other ethnicities

Most drug abusers take drugs at home Rising public concern youth drug abuse issue esp. in 2007-2010

Functions of Narcotics Division (ND), Security Bureau: Legislation and law enforcement Preventive education Central registry of drug abuse Support anti-drug activities in community, e.g School Drug

Testing Scheme (Trail) Provide treatment and rehabilitation

Background Info

Research related to minority groups :

This study is important to further understand drug abuse pattern of a particular group

First study Second study (This study)

Research Title A Study on the Drug Abuse Situation among Ethnic Minorities in Hong Kong

Transnationalism and Drug Abuse: A Study on Nepalese Drug Abusers in Hong Kong

Research Target

Minority groups Nepalese

Research Time

2006 2009

Appointer Action Committee Against Narcotics , Narcotics Division

Beat Drugs Fund, Narcotics Division

Researcher Department of Social Work, CUHK

Department of Anthropology, CUHK

Research Question

NOT clearly stated in this report. Research objective:

To find out individual drug history of Nepalese drug abuser

To understand their socio-cultural experience and their perception in drug function

To identify their pattern in use of drug-related services in both Hong Kong and Nepal

Original research question: Will social factors (such as socio-cultural experience and

perceived functional reasons for drug abuse as well as use of rehabilitation

service) effect Nepalese drug abuser become the highest % in total ethnic minorities group?

Research Question

Problem of this research question: What is socio-cultural experience?

(The meaning of socio-cultural is ambiguous) What’s good in this research question:

Target on a specific (Nepalese drug abuser) Researchable and not abstract in the context Connection and link with the previous study contribution to topic on minority drug abuser is

original Generally we believe this research question is suitable

and clearly set out This study fill-in research gap in minority drug abuser

and response public opinion in anti-drug

Research

Better version of research question: NO

Further research question: Problem Investigation in minority group

comparison with other minority group, e.g Indians; Pakistani etc.

Comparison with Hong Kong Policy recommendation for minority group

Will community anti-drug program effective for minority drug abuser?

Literature Review

No dedicated section for literature review in this report

There are totally19 references; 4 books and 11 reports or journals; 1 report source from Internet

range of publication years: 1969 to 2010 Focus on Nepal cultural perceptiveLiterature Area Quantity

Nepal culture 6

Use of drug/ function of drug

4

Use for design question 3

Hong Kong context 3

Individual behavior 2

Asian context 1

Problem of not having a literature review

Functions of literature review Important for formulating research question Identify research gap Showing research value

Without literature review support formulate research question, this study is base on social context and follow government’s intention.

Literature Review

Suggestion: Must write literature review Should include other studies related ethnic

minorities in Hong Kong Drug abuse situation of ethnic minorities or

immigrant in other country Policy in anti-drug for recommendation

literature review

Literature Suggestion: Problem identification

Bhattacharya, G. (2002). Drug abuse risks for acculturating immigrant adolescents: Case study of Asian Indians in the united states. Health and Social Work, 27(3), 175.

Policy recommendation Cheung, C., & Ngai, S. S. (2013). Reducing youth's drug

abuse through training social workers for cognitive–behavioral integrated. Children and Youth Services Review, 35(2), 302-311.

Sussman, S. Y., Ames, S. L.,1956-, & ebrary, I. (2008). Drug abuse concepts, prevention, and cessation. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press.

APPROPRIATENESS OF THERESEARCH DESIGN FRAMEWORK ANDDATA COLLECTION METHODS?

The Research Approach Adopted

Case study as the research design Aim: find out how transnational experience

influence drug abuse Case under study: HK Nepalese Drug

abusers Unit of analysis: Individual drug abusers Their stories are told, derive meanings

(inductive) from within and identify patterns.

Data Collection: mixed method approach Qualitative first to derive theories and then

tested by quantitative research

Features of case study vs the Report

Features (Yin 1994, Bouma& Ling 2004):

Compare with this report….

Typically to answer questions like “how” , “why”, “what’s going on?”

Finding out individual drug abuse history, make sense of their experience and identifying the pattern of drug use

Focuses on a single “case” or “entity”

The only entity being studied is Nepalese drug abusers in HK

A variable, or a set of variables, is measured for one entity at one point in time.

Though it is not measuring any variables, it is studying one subject in a specified period

To study contemporary phenomenon in a real-life context

The research team immersed themselves in the field (real-life situations)

Suitable for studying complex social phenomena

The reasons for drug abuse are complex and different from case to case

Some limit the use of case study to an exploratory research in which no hypothesis is tested.

No hypothesis is stated nor tested in this research. Instead, the study made sense of the situation of drug abuse by HK Nepalese

What is a good research ?(Denscombe 2010)

As to Research Design Fit for purpose—

->The choice of research strategy, selection of data collection methods and the kinds of data analysis undertaken is fit for purpose (answering the R.Q.)->Ensure that evidence obtained enables the research to answer the initial questions as unambiguously as possible.

Checks on validity and reliability— The chosen design is likely to produce accurate and relevant data to answer the R.Q.

Clear and explicit description of Research Design— Design explained succinctly for readers to assess its quality.

What is a good research design?(Denscombe, 2010)

As to Data Collection Logical connections– data is collected in

a logical sense, the way of collection is coherent and consistent to the strategy, methods and analysis

Fit for purpose?

Aim of the research: To find out how the transnational

experience of Nepalese drug abusers has influenced drug abuse history

Objectives of the research: To find out individual drug abuse history of

HK Nepalese drug abusers in both HK and Nepal;

To understand their socio-cultural experience and their perceived functional reasons for drug use; and,

To identify their pattern of use of drug-related services in both HK and Nepal.

Keywords such as “Find out”/”Understand”/”identify”: No preconception of the situation; no hypothesis Start with an exploratory/ descriptive research;

asking “what is going on” rather than “why is it going on”

Theory building; inductive research Requires basic understanding of the issue and

some in-depth studies on the reasons giving rise to the issue

Could develop into questions as to “why does that happen” in the next step (Explanatory research)

Fit for purpose?

Let’s revisit the objectives…. “…find out individual drug abuse history” understand their experience and reasons for drug abuse “identify their pattern of use of drug related services….”

To attain the objectives, the study will need to…. Provide a broad understanding of the single issue and

then Conduct an in-depth study so as to understand their

individual experience and reasons for use of drugs and identify the pattern of use of drug-related service

Which approach will best meet the aims of the research? Case study

Fit for purpose?

Checks on validity and reliability?

Is case study as a research design would likely produce accurate and relevant data?

For this research, the required data shall… be able to give a full and complex explanation of

the case under study Reveal abstract ideas such as values, backgrounds Allows flexibility in both quantitative and

qualitative data collection Case study provides flexibility in collecting

both quantitative and qualitative data for corroboration.

Other alternatives of research design?

Experimental? See if one variable has a causal effect on

another Need to have two groups; manipulation of

one group and test the indicators of another

Cross-sectional? Aim is to find out “something” about the

target group at one particular point in time Sample taken has to be representative

Other alternative research designs? Longitudinal design

Ask questions like “has there been a change?”

Test variables in at least two occasions (Panel design)

People of same age are chosen and followed at regular intervals (Cohort design)

Data Collection

The research is conducted (collects data) in two stages: Stage 1: Sep- Oct 2009:

“Participant observation” and “Interviews” Stage 2: Jan-Jun 2010

“Survey” The quantitative survey (Stage 2) aims at

corroborating the results found in qualitative participant observation and interviews (Stage 1)

Stage Target Sample (N=)

[Sampling

method]

To find out…… Notes

Stage 1aInterview with professionals

Professionals familiar with DA scene in Nepal[NGO, academics…]

10[Purposive]

(1) Social/cultural background of drug scene in Nepal

(2) drug use pattern, rehab service, drug preventions, etc

(1) Semi-structured interview

Stage 1bParticipant Observation

Nepalese Drug Abusers who have DA exp. in HK

10[Purposive]

(1) Individual drug abuse history

(2) Perception of drug use

(1) Semi-structured interview;

(2) Sample included different age groups, gender, occupations, castes ( 種 姓 制 度 ), migration history, exp in use of drug-related service

Stage 2Survey

HK Nepalese come to HK for long term stay who have abused drug in HK before

89[Purposive then snowball]

(1) Individual drug abuse history

(2) Perceived functional reasons for drug use

(3) Socio-cultural exp.

(4) Socio-demographic statistics

(1) Conducted in both HK and Nepal.

(2) HK- recruited from 2 methadone clinics & 2 NGOs

(3) Nepal- recruited in rehab centres across Nepal

HK Nepalese come to HK for long term stay who have NOT abused drug in HK before

21[Purposive then snowball]

(1) Conducted in HK only(2) Recruited through 1

secondary school and 2 Nepalese churches

Stakeholder

Stakeholder Finding Responding Recommendations

TDA/O/L

Female Nepalese drug abusers having different reason and pattern in their career

Specially designed program is needed for female Nepalese drug abusers

TDA/O/P Lack of parental care in childhood

Family active engagement should be invent in the program

TDA/O

Average frequency in using rehabilitation services is 2.1 (Nepal) and 1.3 (HK)

Install follow-up service / meeting for ex-drug abusersMore comprehensive ex-drug abuser service system planning (follow-up, training, networking)

　 　Enhance the culture awareness and equal opportunity to related staff by training

TDA/ODifficult in finding satisfactory accommodation and jobs

Enforcement of the Racial Discrimination Ordinance in public

TDA/O Abuse 6 types of drug in their career 　

Analysis methods - Survey

Quantitative Chronback’s alpha (0<α<1)

Commonly used in social science research Testing reliability / internal consistency Good at multiple answer categories

Chi-square test (p<0.05) Check if correlation exists between 2

factors Three requirements - Sampling; Variables;

Size of data

Analysis methods - Survey

Analyse each question to lower the complexity

Tables, Charts and Mean are used

Analysis methods – (Semi-structure) Interview

Qualitative Summarized points and clearly explained

Religion, rehabilitation method, family issue, cultural/ environment

Appropriate Weak linkage between each data

collection method.

THE SOUNDNESS OF THE FINDINGS

Major findings

Sound Average age

First time drug abusing age

Perceived functional reasons for drug abusive

Utilisation of rehabilitation services in HK

Unsound• Originated from

the limitations

• Pattern

• Stigmatization of female drug addicts

PRACTICALITY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations

Practical Preventive

measures: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary

pragmatic action-oriented practicable feasible incremental

change

Not practical• not much

differences from the current preventive measures

• prevention at wrong age group

• too technical drug catagory

• labeling effect

OVERALL COMMENTS

Overview

Research question clearly set out objectives

Literature review Necessary to include and cover policy alternatives

Research design case study

Data collection methods Mixed methods/ triangulation & limitations

Stakeholders assessment focus on HK-Nep drug abuser and rehabilitation

users Data analysis methods

statistics, free text Major findings

identification and rectification Recommendations

Practical but limited in preventive education

Reference

Bouma & Ling (2004). The Research Process. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press

Bryman A. (2008). Third Edition. Social Research Methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Denscombe M. (2010). Ground Rules for Social Research. Guidelines for Good Practice. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Narcotics Division (2006). Research Report on a Study on the Drug Abuse Situation among Ethnic Minorities in Hong Kong. [pdf] HKSARG: Security Bureau. Available at:<http://www.nd.gov.hk/pdf/Study% 20on%20drug%20abuse%20situation%20among%20ethnic%20 minorities%20in%20Hong%20Kong%20%20Final%20report.pdf> [Accessed 11 April 2013]

Reference (2)

Narcotics Division (2010). Chapter 4 Preventive education and publicity. Hong Kong Narcotics and Anti-money Laundering Report 2007-2010. [pdf] HKSARG: Security Bureau. Available at:<http://www.nd.gov.hk/ pdf/report2007-10/ full_report.pdf >[Accessed 11 April 2013]

Yin R. K. (1994). Case Study Research. Design and Methods.. Thousand Oaks: Sage