A consumer’s guide to research on substance use disorders (part 3)

Part 3/9
Not all people need the same types of help, so paying attention to the demographics and problem severity is important in trying to determine what works and for whom.

A couple days ago, I explained the challenges of making sense of research and introduced 8 questions that will help readers evaluate evidence and relevance to their work, goals, and lives.

As if to drive the point home, I just saw a tweet by an advocacy group demanding access to “science-based treatment.” That sounds great, but what does that mean? And, how directly and completely does/can science speak to my needs, or the needs of my loved one or community? Unfortunately, it’s not as clear as many make it seem.

Yesterday, we looked at question one.

Question 2: Who were the subjects?

There is a wide spectrum of alcohol and other drug problems, with addiction on the most severe end and misuse on the less severe end. Further, there can even be considerable variety within a category. Additionally, there can be significant differences in where the subjects are…

View original post 325 more words