title: "He Was the Story of My Drug Use Life": A Longitudinal Qualitative Study of the Impact of Partner Incarceration on Substance Misuse Patterns Among African American Women.
abstract: This NIH-funded longitudinal qualitative study explored pathways through which partner incarceration affected substance misuse among African American women. Four waves of semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 substance-misusing African American women whose partners had recently been incarcerated. Data were collected in Atlanta, Georgia, during 2010-2011. Transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Analyses suggest that partner incarceration initially precipitated multiple crises in women's lives (e.g., homelessness); over time, and with formal and informal support, women got their lives "back on track." Substance misuse declined over time, though spiked for some women during the crisis period. We discuss implications for research and interventions.
authors: a 1Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors: Hannah Lf
authors: HL
authors: Cooper
authors: b 2Institute of Liberal Arts, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors: Claire Ducharme
authors: CD
authors: Clark
authors: a 1Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors: Terrika
authors: T
authors: Barham
authors: a 1Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors: Venita
authors: V
authors: Embry
authors: a 1Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors: Bethany
authors: B
authors: Caruso
authors: c 3RTI, Urban Health Program , San Francisco, California, USA.
authors: Megan
authors: M
authors: Comfort
keywords: African Americans; criminal justice; incarceration; longitudinal design; qualitative methods; substance misuse; women