Citation

Duncan DF. J. Prim. Prev. 1997; 17(4): 375-382.

Affiliation

Duncan, D.F., Rhode Island Department of Health, Providence, RI 02908, United States

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Seven ways that epidemiology can be used in the analysis of drug policy are identified, as follows: to determine the causes of drug use and abuse; to monitor the levels of drug use and abuse in our communities; to identify trends over time in drug use and abuse; to complete the clinical picture of drug use and abuse; to identify syndromes of abuse; to identify target groups or individuals for preventive interventions; and to determine the effectiveness of interventions for the prevention or treatment of drug abuse. Common misuses of epidemiology are also identified.