Research

Looking into the drug addiction problem throughout Greece and providing reliable, documented information about it has been part of OKANA's remit from the very start. To discharge that duty, OKANA works closely with the National Documentation and Information Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EKTEPN) that is responsible for collecting official representative data for Greece, and is one of the European Information Network for Drugs and Drug Addiction (REITOX) under EMCDDA. Each year, EKTEPN submits its Annual National Report to EMCDDA, in addition to its annual report on the state of the drug problem in Greece which is addressed to Greek health professionals, researchers and policy makers.

Mindful of the special importance of research, in August 2001 OKANA set up its Research and Evaluation Department (TEA) which provides research support to planning and monitoring of OKANA prevention, treatment and social reintegration policies.

The mission of the Research and Evaluation Department is:

to systematically check, process and analyse data from OKANA programmes in order to use them in the best possible way
to work together with Unit Heads in order to upgrade the data collection system of OKANA substitution treatment units
to provide scientific support to studies and research conducted by OKANA scientific staff in liaison with other bodies
to conduct targeted research about issues of interest to OKANA
to conduct research in the context of OKANA's participation in European and international programmes

In addition to the work carried out by the Research and Evaluation Department, the scientific staff of OKANA pursue their research activities which they publish in scientific journals or present in conferences.

Projects in which OKANA is currently participating

European projects

EXASS NET - network linking policy levels with front-line professional experience (2011) (Group Pompidou)
MedNET Network: cooperation in the Mediterranean region on Drugs and Drug Addiction (2011-2014) (Group Pompidou)
Executive training for the drug policy managers from Europe and the USA (2011) (Group Pompidou)
European Consultative Youth Forum (2011-2012) (Group Pompidou)
Prevention of drug use in the workplace (2011-2012) (Group Pompidou)
Draft Terms of reference for the European Drug Prevention Prize (2012) (Group Pompidou)
Terms of reference for the ad hoc advisory expert group on road traffic safety and substitution treatment (2011-2012) (Group Pompidou)
DAD.NET ή DAWN: Drugs and Alcohol Women Network UNICRI (2011-2013) (United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute / UNICRI)
ATOME (Access To Opioid Medication in Europe) (2011-2013) (WHO, European Commission)

National Research

National survey within the framework of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drug (ESPAD) (2010-2014) (UMHRI, OKANA)
Needs assessment of drug addicted prisoners (2011) (OKANA, KETHEA, 18 ANO) (2007-2013 NSRF)
Study on the epidemiological differences between immigrant and Greek drug addicts (2011) (National Center for Social Research / EKKE, OKANA)
Early intervention services to Intravenous Drug User's and their high risk contacts in order to confront the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Athens (2011-2013) (University of Athens, OKANA, Disease Control and Prevention Center / KEELPNO) (2007-2013 NSRF)