title: The barefoot epidemiologist: "what works" in drug abuse prevalence estimation.
abstract: This paper proposes that the problem of estimating drug abuse prevalence may be approached effectively through inexpensive means and without the need of experts. A situation is hypothesized in the city of "Metropolis" whereby a junior staffer is able to make reasonable and compelling estimates of the problem using information gathered from various city agencies and knowledgeable individuals over a two-week period. Each day's information-gathering is described, with the thought processes that sort out and coalesce the findings. In the matter of weeks the information is used to justify expenditures for treatment and prevention programs.
authors.affiliation: Haight-Ashbury Free Clinics, Inc., San Francisco, CA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Newmeyer
mesh_terms: D004467:Economics; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D015995:Prevalence; D012107:Research Design; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs