title: Methamphetamine use in Central Germany: protocol for a qualitative study exploring requirements and challenges in healthcare from the professionals' perspective.
abstract: The synthetic drug methamphetamine with its high addiction potential is associated with substantial adverse health effects. In Germany, especially Central Germany, the increase in the consumption of methamphetamine has exceeded that of other illegal drugs. The treatment system and service providers are facing new challenges due to this rise in consumption. This qualitative study will explore the demand created by the increasing healthcare needs of methamphetamine-addicted persons in Central Germany, and the difficulty of rehabilitating addicted people.
  
  
  
  The collection of empirical data will take place in a consecutive, two-stage process. In the first part of data collection, the experiences and perspectives of 40 professionals from numerous healthcare sectors for methamphetamine-addicted persons will be explored with the help of semistructured face-to-face interviews and probed by the research team. These findings will be discussed in 2 focus groups consisting of the participants of the face-to-face interviews; these group discussions comprise the second part of the data collection process. The interviews will be audio recorded, transcribed, and then subjected to qualitative content analysis.
  
  
  
  All interviewees will receive comprehensive written information about the study, and sign a declaration of consent prior to the interview. The study will comply rigorously with data protection legislation. The research team has obtained the approval of the Ethical Review Committee at the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany. The results of the study will be published in high-quality, peer-reviewed international journals, presented at several congresses and used to design follow-up research projects.
  
  
  
  VfD_METH_MD_15_003600.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Sociology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Sociology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schumann
authors.affiliation: Section of General Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fankhaenel
authors.affiliation: Section of General Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Carolin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thiel
authors.affiliation: Section of General Medicine, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klement
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Sociology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D017144:Focus Groups; D005858:Germany; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*
chemical_list: D008694:Methamphetamine
keywords: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; methamphetamine; rehabilitation; study protocol; treatment