Page J Bryan
Department of Anthropology, University of Miami, 103H Merrick, LC 2005, Box 248106, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA.
J Urban Health. 2005 Sep;82(3 Suppl 4):iv16-23. doi: 10.1093/jurban/jti104.
International study of drug use and HIV derives much of its value from affording investigators opportunities to compare similar behaviors in contrasting cultural contexts. In these contrasting cultural contexts, people entrusted with conducting police work and minimizing crime have ways of conducting their business that may or may not interfere with research on illegal or socially disapproved behaviors. Two cases illustrate interactions between well-meaning researchers and local authorities. In both, investigations benefited from having laid groundwork for local endorsement of study activities. Research on marijuana smoking in Costa Rica enjoyed strong cooperation from the Ministry of Health, but not so strong from the Ministry of Security because of a fledgling office of Narcotics. Studies of HIV risk among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Valencia, Spain, encountered no problems with police but noted dangers of low drug enforcement. Five principles of preparing for international research may help investigators to anticipate some varieties of contextual obstructions to research outside the United States.
国际药物使用与艾滋病病毒研究的很大一部分价值在于，它为研究人员提供了在不同文化背景下比较相似行为的机会。在这些不同的文化背景中，负责警务工作和减少犯罪的人员开展工作的方式可能会或可能不会干扰对非法或社会不认可行为的研究。有两个案例说明了善意的研究人员与地方当局之间的互动。在这两个案例中，调查都受益于为地方认可研究活动奠定的基础。在哥斯达黎加，关于吸食大麻的研究得到了卫生部的大力合作，但由于一个新成立的麻醉品办公室，与安全部的合作并不那么顺利。在西班牙巴伦西亚，对注射吸毒者（IDU）中艾滋病病毒风险的研究没有遇到警方的问题，但注意到了毒品执法力度低的危险。为国际研究做准备的五项原则可能有助于研究人员预见在美国境外进行研究时可能遇到的一些背景障碍。
