Engaging 'difficult-to-reach' young people in a study of inner-city drug use.

This chapter examines some of the methodological difficulties which arise in when attempting a qualitiative study of drug use by a group of 15 to 19 year olds in Dublin. Issues of consent and confidentiality arise when attempting to recruit interviewees from within the community. Gatekeepers- who could provide contact with the sample group - were needed. Contact needed to be sustained over a long period, and the participants' acceptance of the reseacher required considerable investment of time within the community. This was the case particularly with those who remained outside the treatment setting. Contact with the most elusive of interviewees was aided considerably by information supplied by existing participants in the survey. The most useful contact points were public places where young herion users gathered, and confidence could be established over time. Despite the considerable difficulties involved in carrying out this research, there was a suprisingly high number of young people willing to participate