Press release July 4, 2007 from Drug and Alcohol Findings

Drug and alcohol agencies now have free access to quality UK-focused ‘what works’ research as web-based service replaces Drug and Alcohol Findings magazine

Two open access web sites are being stocked with the entire contents of the past 15 issues of the Drug and Alcohol Findings magazine, the world’s only periodical to focus on research which could improve the effectiveness of substance misuse services. One site is the Findings site itself (http://findings.org.uk) where visitors can sign up for e-mail updates on the project.

The longer term plan is to create an ‘Effectiveness Bank’ site which will also provide access source research papers and abstracts. Reports on new studies will be added to keep visitors up to date with the latest findings.

Funded initially by the J. Paul Getty Jr. Charitable Trust, the project is a joint venture between DrugScope, Alcohol Concern, the National Addiction Centre and the project’s editor.

By mid-June 2007 the first issue of the magazine had been made available on the Findings site and more will regularly be added. Though in its early stages, the site has been described as “Awesome!” by Professor John Kelly, researcher and clinician at the USA’s Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University. In the UK Gary Wallace who manages Plymouth’s Drug and Alcohol Action Team says Findings “helped us sift relevant research and identify evidence from around the world that has significantly informed our change processes … an essential tool”.

It’s not so much the design of the site which has enthused as the quality of the content. The Findings magazine gained an international reputation for the thoroughness and creativity of its analyses. Now these riches (the core contents are called ‘Nuggets’ for a reason) are being made available free of charge and at the click of a button.

For the Effectiveness Bank, national drug information experts DrugScope are constructing a customised search facility so visitors can easily find the documents they need. The aim is to provide a one-stop resource which draws on the accumulated information banks of the Findings partner agencies and the high quality content of the magazine. DrugScope’s Director of Communications Harry Shapiro is managing this part of the project: “If services want to use proven methods to improve their effectiveness, the Effectiveness Bank is where they should come to.”

Alcohol Concern made the bid to the Getty Trust on behalf of the project. “Findings is about changing what people do, not just discussing it”, said Director of Policy and Services Don Shenker. “That means we have to get it right. Quality in the science and analysis is everything but it also has to practice-friendly. The trick Findings has pulled off is to meet both agendas at once.”

Partnership with the National Addiction Centre makes the centre’s huge information resources available to the project. “The magazine was right at the time”, said Research Coordinator John Witton, “but the world has moved on. Now people expect to find information instantly and to get it free. When it comes to information which could make things better for their communities, clients, patients children, that’s exactly what they should get.”

Contributor: Mike Ashton e-mail: editor@findings.org.uk
____________________________________________________________