Substance Use in a Comparative Perspective

The book puts together different pieces of evidence on the developments of substance use in five post-communist countries over time. It builds a complex and reliable evidence base for empirical comparison and identifies evidence gaps. Such developments are analyzed and interpreted using an original theoretical framework and a combination of both quantitative and qualitative methodology.

Foreword

1. Introduction
Arnošt Veselý, Dagmar Dzúrová

2. Environmental Factors as Determinants of Substance Use
Arnošt Veselý, Martin Nekola, Jana Spilková, Michala Lustigová

3. Risk Behavior in Comparative Perspective
Dagmar Dzúrová, Jana Spilková, Eva Dragomirecká

4. Risk Behavior in Five Post-Communist Countries
Alexandra Bražinová, Ognjen Brborović, Razvan M. Chereches, Alexandru Coman, Dagmar Dzúrová, Albena Kerekovska, Michala Lustigová, Martin Nekola, Stoyanka Popova, Slavica Sović, Jana Spilková

5. Health-related Behavior at the Individual Level: Case Study of Substance Use in the Czech Republic
Jana Spilková, Dagmar Dzúrová, Hynek Pikhart

Executive Summary
Appendix
About Authors
References

The monograph provides a comprehensive overview of available data and information from the said countries and strives to organize them in a logic matrix. This allows to show the real picture of the situation in each individual country as well as to compare them among themselves. It would be advisable if the findings gathered in framework of this research serve for formulation of next research projects. A holistic approach should be adopted aimed at assessing the influence of environmental factors such as housing, poverty, employment, social justice and displacement on substance use. It would be welcomed if the research could in the future examine the legal rights of people with substance use problems, the impact of stigma, social exclusion and discrimination, the role of society, school and families in the development and combating the substance use as well as availability of treatment and rehabilitation services in health sector and beyond.

Z recenzního posudku: Darina Sedláková, M.D., MPH