The Tribune

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with other government agencies, is currently dispatching a team of persons into various communities throughout the Bahamas to conduct a national household drug survey during the months of February and March 2017. 

The purpose of the survey is to determine the extent of drug use among persons 12 to 65 years old in the population. 

According to the Ministry of Health, current patterns have been studied among the adolescent population through school drug surveys conducted in the past decade. However, present trends in the general population are not known.

Other countries in the Caribbean, namely Guyana, Suriname and Jamaica, have used the same survey methodology. Bahamian islands included in this survey are: New Providence, Grand Bahama, Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera and Exuma. 

For each island, communities and households will be selected at random. The process is like placing all of the households in a hat and choosing one.

Enumerators (or interviewers) with valid identifications badges will go out into the communities chosen, and seek to interview one individual randomly selected from each household chosen.

The enumerators will use a standardised questionnaire and computer software to capture the interviews. Answers to questions asked in the survey will be absolutely confidential and completely anonymous. 

The ministry said names of the respondents will not be recorded in the questionnaire, and nothing in it will allow persons to be identified.

“With these careful measures the organisers are taking, householders are asked to be completely honest with their answers. Full cooperation in the survey will support the government agencies in assisting the general public,” the ministry said in a statement. 

“Results will provide current information necessary for making evidence-based decisions and designing programmes to improve drug prevention, education and treatment services for the general population of the Bahamas.”