Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

Objective: To describe the problems encountered and resolved in the course of using respondent-driven sampling (RDS), targeted canvassing (TARC), and ethnographic fieldwork (EFW) to recruit ecstasy and/or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) users. Method: This study is nested within a larger project designed to investigate the course of drug use, sexual risk behaviors, and psychiatric comorbidities in 240 ecstasy/LSD users. Eligible participants were males and females with ages ranging from 18 to 39 years, who reported ecstasy and/or LSD use at least once during the 90 days prior to interview and were not under treatment for drug and alcohol problems. Strategies were implemented sequentially, over four month time frames for each method, aiming at fulfilling study objectives. Results: The final sample included 174 participants (64.36% males). Eight (4.6%) were selected using RDS, 26 (14.94%) with TARC, and 140 (80.45%) using EFW. RDS recruited participants with a higher education level, employed, and with a higher monthly income. Conversely, a higher frequency of drug usage and a higher number of drugs ever used were evident among participants selected via EFW. Conclusions: Different recruitment techniques reached different types of participants. EFW showed the best performance, granting access to the largest number of participants and with a higher number of drugs ever used. Both RDS and TARC required more time to recruit participants and yielded a lower number of eligible subjects. Participants recruited via RDS had a higher socioeconomic level but also a shorter lifetime history of drug use.

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