Abstract

The stigmatization of drug users is a major barrier to effective data collection on drug use.
This is because drug users are often reluctant to disclose their drug use to researchers, for
fear of being judged or discriminated against. As a result, data on drug use is often
inaccurate and incomplete.
One way to overcome the stigmatization of drug users in data collection through drug use
surveys is to use the network scale-up method (NSUM): an indirect method to calculate drug
use prevalence. NSUM is a statistical method that uses information about the social networks
of survey respondents to estimate the prevalence of drug use in a population.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has implemented numerous
statistical methods to measure drug prevalence in the population to overcome the
stigmatization of drug users in data collection. UNODC has developed a number of tools
and resources to help researchers and policymakers collect accurate and complete data on
drug use, including the use of indirect methods.
This presentation will provide an overview of how the network scale-up method can be used
to overcome the stigmatization of drug users in data collection. It will also discuss the
experiences and technical assistance that UNODC has provided in developing and
implementing these methods in different countries around the world.
Keywords: drug use, stigmatization, data collection, network scale-up method, UNODC
References:
• UNODC, Estimating Prevalence: Indirect Methods for Estimating the Size of the Drug
Problem (United Nations, 2003)
• UNODC, World Drug Report 2022 (United Nations publication, 2022)