Abstract
This chapter is aimed at doctors, psychologists, social workers, therapists, and other staff in the health sector, social care sector, and criminal justice system (e.g., prisons, probation) working in addiction. It is also written for workers in the nongovernmental (non-statutory or "third") sector with some professional training or expertise.
These clinical workers often are the first to identify new trends in substance use, effects, problematic consequences, and problems that may support or hinder rehabilitation. Therefore, clinicians can play an important role in research.
In many developing countries or in countries without a history of alcohol and other drug research, clinicians may be the only people who are able to document problems. At the same time, they also have a duty to identify and collect this information and distribute it.
This chapter will discuss what sort of research might be suitable for clinicians, how to approach it, where to publish, and pitfalls in addiction research and publishing. The purpose is to encourage professionals who work in the field of addiction, not primarily as researchers, but as clinicians who have conducted work or research projects that could be worthy of publication.
This chapter also provides instruction on how clinicians can collaborate with researchers.
