SOC311 Research Proposal
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School
University of Oregon *
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Course
311
Subject
Health Science
Date
Feb 20, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
2
Uploaded by ChancellorMetal13737
Sofia Vieceli
Case Study Group #2
11/25/23
First Draft
ADHD and Substance Abuse Going Hand in Hand In the past couple of years, a pattern has emerged of society leaning more toward substances that enhance
human ability instead of hindering it. Everyone is looking for a way to get ahead of others and improve themselves, which has led to the emergence of mental health diagnoses and (recently) a shortage of certain medications, like stimulants. It is commonly believed that ADHD prescriptions are highly addictive and risky, but that is not the case. Most prescriptions allow the drug to be slowly administered over a long period of time, failing to provide the immediate relief or high that addiction tends to crave. In fact, ADHD medication dulls those high-novelty-seeking traits and provides dopamine to parts of the brain responsible for focus and task completion. However, due to a shortage of ADHD medication, many individuals have been unable to receive their prescription. I believe this contributes to a rise in substance abuse, as the lack of medication causes individuals to resort to other substances as forms of self-medication. My research proposal seeks to examine the associations between ADHD medication shortages and rises in substance abuse using unobtrusive research.
In order to collect data, I would like to examine various internet archives such as blogs or
public media to seek discourse about ADHD shortages and potential reports of self-medication or abuse of other substances. I will also examine hospital overdose rates as well as the rates of drugs confiscated by various government systems; fire dept, police, hospital, etc. Additionally, I would be interested to discover how certain substances are being advertised. For example, is cocaine advertised as something to help individuals improve productivity? In this case, individuals suffering from ADHD medication shortages would be more likely to respond to this, especially while unmedicated as they may feel more impulsive. In order to code data, I would need to develop a technique to analyze and categorize it. Categories may include the severity of medication shortage, type of substances abused, and keywords/phrases regarding substance abuse and medication availability. When analyzing the data, I would attempt to identify patterns/relationships as well as determine the strength of associations within the data I’ve coded.
The data I observe will be focused on observable behaviors or confessions of substance abuse in the context of the ADHD medication shortage. Because I am using unobtrusive data, I will need to utilize online platforms and discussions as well as hospital and police records to observe trends related to my topic. This type of research will also require me to conduct continuous observations over specific periods of time to accurately capture patterns and reactions
that evolve in reaction to medication shortages. To code and sort observations, the data would need to be systematically reviewed with structured techniques to extract meaningful data. Quantitative methods such as correlation analysis would then be used to analyze and identify statistically significant relationships between the variables. By relying on existing data, this should be easily feasible for a UO senior to complete in one term. Using unobtrusive data is the best option because of the stigmas and anxieties associated with addiction. Some individuals with ADHD may feel ashamed already with their ‘dependency’
on prescribed medication which is why it is essential to observe this data from situations where the individuals feel comfortable speaking honestly instead of making them feel like they will be blamed or judged for what they say. Online forums such as Reddit, Twitter, and other media outlets can not only provide users with information or advice about their own situations, it can
make them feel heard and understood which gives them another way to cope and understand themselves. This can improve the well-being of individuals discussing and provide honest, unbiased, and public personal data which can be analyzed and eventually demonstrate more accurate data than surveys or interviews would due to response bias. My proposed study aims to eventually provide a more holistic and educated source of care by collecting valuable insight into the struggles faced by individuals with ADHD. With unobtrusive research, we can gain valuable and unbiased insights into experiences that may not be widely discussed or even fully recognized by individuals everywhere. I believe that the potential consequences of ADHD medication shortages on substance abuse may demonstrate a larger and more important public health issue of overprescription. By collecting data on this topic, we can discover more about this phenomenon and open up other potential solutions or better learn how to help struggling individuals.
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