Biographic Burden and Initiation into the Use of Amphetamine-Type Stimulants from the Perspective of Users: The Qualitative Arm of the ATTUNE Research Study in the Czech Republic

BACKGROUND: The Czech Republic has a long tradition of methamphetamine use. Less is known about the circumstances of initiation into its use at the level of individual users. The aim of the research was to analyse the biographic burden prior to initiation into the use of amphetamines. Another aim was to describe initiation into the use of amphetamines from the perspective of users in various groups.

METHODS: Qualitative analysis of 25 full transcripts of biographical interviews was conducted. The thematic analysis and coding framework were based on the biopsychosocial model focusing on selected periods of users’ lifespans within five different user groups in the Ústí nad Labem region of the Czech Republic.

RESULTS: The groups of remitted and dependent users are characterized by methamphetamine use, a more severe biographic burden, and by the use of amphetamines in the context of coping with previous experiences and their current difficult situation.

DISCUSSION: The results support the notion that there is a difference between the user groups which were identified in a previous analysis within the ATTUNE project.

CONCLUSIONS: We identified multiple differences between the user groups and their life stories. The remitted and dependent users shared similar and more severe biographic burdens in comparison to the other groups.