"He was the story of my drug use life": A longitudinal qualitative study of the impact of partner incarceration on substance misuse patterns among African American women

Hannah L.F. Cooper; Claire Ducharme Clark; Terrika Barham; Venita Embry; Bethany Caruso; Megan Comfort

doi:10.3109/10826084.2013.824474

"He was the story of my drug use life": A longitudinal qualitative study of the impact of partner incarceration on substance misuse patterns among African American women

Hannah L.F. Cooper, Claire Ducharme Clark, Terrika Barham, Venita Embry, Bethany Caruso, Megan Comfort

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

This NIH-funded longitudinal qualitative study explored pathways through which partner incarceration affected substance misuse among African American women. Four waves of semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 substance-misusing African American women whose partners had recently been incarcerated. Data were collected in Atlanta, Georgia, during 2010-2011. Transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Analyses suggest that partner incarceration initially precipitated multiple crises in women's lives (e.g., homelessness); over time, and with formal and informal support, women got their lives "back on track." Substance misuse declined over time, though spiked for some women during the crisis period. We discuss implications for research and interventions.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	176-188
Number of pages	13
Journal	Substance Use and Misuse
Volume	49
Issue number	1-2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3109/10826084.2013.824474
State	Published - Jan 2014

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Unlike T1 women, T2 women’s families immediately provided housing and/or financial support. While T2 women did not discuss substance misuse in relation to this immediate support, the existence of this aid and its absence for most T1 women (at least initially) is noteworthy. Four T2 women immediately moved in with a family member when they lost their housing. While living with family was not a panacea—women still classified themselves as homeless, expressed discomfort at their dependence, and discussed frictions that arose—it may have provided more stability than living in a shelter during the highly chaotic days and weeks after the incarceration event. Additionally, most T2 women received money from family during this initial period. This money usually arrived in small amounts and unpredictably and so did not lift women out of destitution, but its arrival allowed women to temporarily afford basic necessities. This material aid may have provided a measure of stability that supported women’s efforts not to misuse substances; additionally, it may have been experienced as concrete manifestation of family support.

Keywords

African Americans
Criminal justice
Incarceration
Longitudinal design
Qualitative methods
Substance misuse
Women

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Medicine (miscellaneous)
Health(social science)
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Psychiatry and Mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.3109/10826084.2013.824474

Cite this

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abstract = "This NIH-funded longitudinal qualitative study explored pathways through which partner incarceration affected substance misuse among African American women. Four waves of semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 substance-misusing African American women whose partners had recently been incarcerated. Data were collected in Atlanta, Georgia, during 2010-2011. Transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory methods. Analyses suggest that partner incarceration initially precipitated multiple crises in women's lives (e.g., homelessness); over time, and with formal and informal support, women got their lives {"}back on track.{"} Substance misuse declined over time, though spiked for some women during the crisis period. We discuss implications for research and interventions.",

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note = "Funding Information: Unlike T1 women, T2 women{\textquoteright}s families immediately provided housing and/or financial support. While T2 women did not discuss substance misuse in relation to this immediate support, the existence of this aid and its absence for most T1 women (at least initially) is noteworthy. Four T2 women immediately moved in with a family member when they lost their housing. While living with family was not a panacea—women still classified themselves as homeless, expressed discomfort at their dependence, and discussed frictions that arose—it may have provided more stability than living in a shelter during the highly chaotic days and weeks after the incarceration event. Additionally, most T2 women received money from family during this initial period. This money usually arrived in small amounts and unpredictably and so did not lift women out of destitution, but its arrival allowed women to temporarily afford basic necessities. This material aid may have provided a measure of stability that supported women{\textquoteright}s efforts not to misuse substances; additionally, it may have been experienced as concrete manifestation of family support.",

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"He was the story of my drug use life": A longitudinal qualitative study of the impact of partner incarceration on substance misuse patterns among African American women. / Cooper, Hannah L.F.; Clark, Claire Ducharme; Barham, Terrika et al.
In: Substance Use and Misuse, Vol. 49, No. 1-2, 01.2014, p. 176-188.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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"He was the story of my drug use life": A longitudinal qualitative study of the impact of partner incarceration on substance misuse patterns among African American women

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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