Sauna forum

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Sauna forum

• Open discussion on
• drugs, alcohol and addictions

Lotta Lehmusvaara Aino Majava
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Sauna forum

• Established in January 2001 as part of
  AddictionLink
• First discussion forum maintained by public
  substance abuse service provider
• Funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and
  Health 2000-2003
• Connected with the national drugs strategy

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Visitor statistics

• AddictionLink 20 00028 00 different visitors
  per month
• Sauna Over 3500 different visitors per month
• 3786 topics and 65029 messages altogether, plus
  the AddictionLink archives (2003-11-18)
• Statistics according to Web Traffic Monitor
  service

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Sauna forum

• Powered by Bulletin Board software (UBB)

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Concept

• Finnish Sauna culture
• Atmosphere of relaxed opennes
• Respecting other people
• Equality
• But remember the Sauna code!
• Moderated on every weekday

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Sauna consists of

• General forum for discussion about substances and
  addictions
• Forum for variable themes and theme related
  articles
• Ask an expert -forum
• Guest of the week a therapist working in the
  field of sexual health, a doctor specialized in
  cannabis-issues, harm reduction expert on iv-drug
  use etc.

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Goals

• Discussing the pros and cons of substance use
• Making Finnish drugs discussion more versatile
• Discussing drugs policies
• Bringing users and their experiences into the
  conversation
• Users' peer to peer support
• Harm reduction

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Goals

• Providing users with useful information about
  latest research (AddictionLink databank, theme
  forums, articles) and available treatment
  (virtual counselling, treatment places)
• Gathering information on drugs cultures and risk
  behaviour. This information can be used for
  example in harm reduction and academic purposes.

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Sauna visitor survey 2003

• Internet survey
• Implemented in June-July 2003
• Both structured and open questions
• 222 respondents
• 48 registered members, 52 non-registered
  visitors
• 65 male, 35 female

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Survey results Sauna visitor information

• Sauna visitors are mostly young people
• 40 are students
• 77 live in urban area

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Survey results visitors reported type of
substance use
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Survey results visitors education
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Survey results visitors employment
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Survey results time spent in Sauna
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Survey results Sauna effect on visitors drugs
and alcohol knowledge
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How Sauna discussion has affected your position
on substances?

• It has increased my knowledge on alcohol and
  drugs
• My attitude towards drugs is more positive
• It has given me new perspectives to drug use
• My attitude towards drugs is more negative
• It has prevented me from trying/using drugs
• I have learned about safer ways of using drugs
• I can better understand drug users
• It has changed my views on drug policies and
  education

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Survey results Sauna effect on visitors
substance use

• Sauna has encouraged 29 of visitors to try or
  use some substance they otherwise would not have
  tried or used
• 71 reported of no such effect

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Survey results Sauna effect on visitors
substance use

• Sauna has encouraged 51 of visitors to give up
  trying or using some substance they otherwise
  would have tried or used
• 49 reported of no such effect

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Survey results Whats best in Sauna

• Opennes, freedom of speech
• Other visitors, good guys
• Information on substances
• Many-sidedness, heterogenity
• Sharing experiences
• Support of the online community
• Increased understanding of drug use and drug
  users
• AddictionLink information (Infobank etc.)
• Anonymity
• Entertainment value

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Survey results Whats worst in Sauna

• Troublemakers, trolls
• Too harsh or to loose moderating
• Drug favouring attitude
• Visitors young age
• Unqualified or negative enlighteners

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Survey results visitor comments

• Now I know much more about substances and also
  their harmful effects. I won't go playing with my
  health, as I used to due to lack of proper drugs
  education.
• On the other hand Sauna discussion has made me
  become interested in some drugs that I would not
  otherwise know about." (Female aged 21-26.)

• "Sauna is a place where I can be completelely
  honest to myself and to others. This is a good
  thing if you have problems with drugs."
• (Male aged 15-20.)
• It seems you really cannot speak openly about
  drug issues. I hope AddictionLink will defend our
  freedom of speech also in the future!
• (Female aged 21-26.)