Toward Uniform Data Collection and Monitoring of Israeli and Palestinian Adolescent Drug Use

Abstract

This chapter briefly discusses a process of instrument and data collection. Discussion is given to a process that served as a means of bringing two groups of people, Israeli and Palestinian, together to address a mutual concern-drug use among youth. The critical issue that remains from this effort is simple-follow-up over time and across locations to monitor and respond to drug-related issues including patterns of use among high-risk youth, particularly those who have dropped out of school. The development of a simple and short data collection is a priority for obtaining useful information. The task is not to overload; the challenge is to make the instrument simple, short, and easily understood. Furthermore, it is important to know what information is needed and what information is of little value. The goal of the Ben Gurion University RADAR Center has been to generate "usable knowledge" for understanding youth and adults at risk needs and improving service provision through relevant prevention and treatment training for personnel. Routinizing data collection and collecting data at the same place over time contributes to an understanding of needs for targeting interventions for modification of service provision. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)