METHODOLOGIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STUDY O F ADDICTIONS - PRESENT STATE AND PERSPECTIVES

The use of several methodologies provides the means for studying the p roblem of addiction from different perspectives. Therefore, the Mexica n Institute of Psychiatry has developed various methods of investigati on since 1979, which show the characteristics of the drug consumption problem in our country. The purpose of this work is that of describing the methods of investigation carried out during the last two decades, which may be summarized as follows: 1) Epidemiologic, which are the s urveys in the general population and in students, by means of which th e quantitative type of information on the incidence, prevalence, and s ocioeconomic aspects may be obtained. 2) Case studies, such as the int ensive search for cases, the informant's method, focal groups, margina l groups with high risk and life histories. 3) Information systems suc h as the Report System for Drug Information. The surveys in the genera l population are carried out through home surveys in the population fr om 12 to 65 years of age (1974, 1988 and 1993) and in the student popu lation of junior and senior high school from 12 to 19 years of age (19 76, 1978, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 1993); both surveys w ere carried out in some states of the Republic and also throughout the whole nation. The methods for the study of cases are the means for ob taining qualitative information. The technique for the compilation of information includes open semidirected and profound surveys; discussio n groups and questionnaires. This methods provide more ample informati on on the users and drug consumption. The purpose of the information s ystems is the epidemiologic vigilance of the drug dependence problem. The Mexican Institute of Psychiatry developed the Information Report S ystem for. Drugs since 1986. It provides us with the current diagnosti c as well as the tendencies.