ArticleAddictive behaviors2016
Ethical considerations and potential threats to validity for three methods commonly used to collect geographic information in studies among people who use drugs.
Article in Addictive behaviors, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed.
- Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment to Monitor Opioid Use and Overdose Among People Who Use Opioids: Prospective Observational Feasibility Study.JMIR human factors · 2026Observational
- Ethical integration of patient-reported outcomes and digital biomarkers in AI healthcare models: an expert consensus framework.Frontiers in digital health · 2026Article
- Responding to location-based triggers of cravings to return to substance use: A qualitative study.Journal of substance use and addiction treatment · 2025Article
- Using GPS-defined venue-based affiliation networks among Black sexually minoritized men and transgender women to identify locations for HIV prevention interventions.Annals of epidemiology · 2024Article
- Novel Location-Based Survey Using Cognitive Interviews to Assess Geographic Networks and Hotspots of Sex and Drug Use: Implementation and Validation Study.JMIR formative research · 2023Article
- Privacy and Confidentiality Considerations for Collecting HIV Risk Network Data among Men who Have Sex with Men and Implications for Constructing Valid Risk Networks.Social networks · 2021Article
- Naturalistic Research on Recovery Processes: Looking to the Future.Alcohol research : current reviews · 2021Article
- Privacy, Confidentiality, and Safety Considerations for Conducting Geographic Momentary Assessment Studies Among Persons Who Use Drugs and Men Who Have Sex with Men.Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine · 2020Article
- Feasibility and Validity of Geographically Explicit Ecological Momentary Assessment With Recall-Aided Space-Time Budgets.Journal of research on adolescence : the official journal of the Society for Research on Adolescence · 2019Article
- Geographic Imputation of Missing Activity Space Data from Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) GPS Positions.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2018Article
- Web-Based Survey Application to Collect Contextually Relevant Geographic Data With Exposure Times: Application Development and Feasibility Testing.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2018Article
- A rural/urban comparison of privacy and confidentiality concerns associated with providing sensitive location information in epidemiologic research involving persons who use drugs.Addictive behaviors · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAnalyses with geographic data can be used to identify "hot spots" and "health service deserts", examine associations between proximity to services and their use, and link contextual factors with individual-level data to better understand how environmental factors influence behaviors. Technological advancements in methods for collecting this information can improve the accuracy of contextually-relevant information; however, they have outpaced the development of ethical standards and guidance, particularly for research involving populations engaging in illicit/stigmatized behaviors. Thematic analysis identified ethical considerations for collecting geographic data using different methods and the extent to which these concerns could influence study compliance and data validity.
methodsIn-depth interviews with 15 Baltimore residents (6 recruited via flyers and 9 via peer-referral) reporting recent drug use explored comfort with and ethics of three methods for collecting geographic information: (1) surveys collecting self-reported addresses/cross-streets, (2) surveys using web-based maps to find/confirm locations, and (3) geographical momentary assessments (GMA), which collect spatiotemporally referenced behavioral data.
resultsSurvey methods for collecting geographic data (i.e., addresses/cross-streets and web-based maps) were generally acceptable; however, participants raised confidentiality concerns regarding exact addresses for illicit/stigmatized behaviors. Concerns specific to GMA included burden of carrying/safeguarding phones and responding to survey prompts, confidentiality, discomfort with being tracked, and noncompliance with study procedures. Overall, many felt that confidentiality concerns could influence the accuracy of location information collected for sensitive behaviors and study compliance.
conclusionsConcerns raised by participants could result in differential study participation and/or study compliance and questionable accuracy/validity of location data for sensitive behaviors.
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