SOCIAL SCIENCE OF DRUG ABUSE
Dr. Shi’s research concentrates on economics, policy, epidemiological, behavioral, and spatial studies of drug abuse and related consequences, including but not limited to the abuse of tobacco, marijuana, alcohol, opioid analgesics, and other prescription and illicit drugs.
Research on marijuana use and related consequences
Dr. Shi is primarily interested in the epidemiology, economics, and policies of marijuana use and marijuana use disorder. With medical marijuana policies adopted in over half states in the past two decades and recreational marijuana policies adopted in more than ten states recently, the marijuana-related legal, physical, economic, and marketing environments in the U.S. have changed dramatically. However, empirical studies on the influences of these policy and environmental changes remain very limited and simplistic, which substantially hinder the evidence-based public health policymaking. Dr. Shi's studies documented the epidemiology and spatial pattern of marijuana use outcomes in general population and vulnerable population, and revealed associations of policy, physical, economic, and marketing contextual factors with individual marijuana use outcomes in adolescents as well as adults. This body of work is expected to guide public health professionals to recognize the pressing issues in marijuana-related health and socioeconomic consequences and provide empirical evidence to assist policymakers and community health leaders regarding marijuana prevention and control.
Research on tobacco use and related consequences
Dr. Shi is also interested in the epidemiology of tobacco use and policies of tobacco control, with special interests in non-cigarette products such as electronic cigarettes and cigars. Although cigarette use prevalence has continuously decreased over the past two decades, the use of novel non-cigarette products has risen considerably especially among vulnerable populations and younger age groups. The research illustrated the emerging issues of non-cigarette tobacco products, the associations between non-cigarette tobacco use and cigarette smoking and other health outcomes, and the impacts of policy, physical, economic, and marketing contextual factors on tobacco use. This body of work highlights the need for policymaking and treatment that are tailored to population characteristics and type of tobacco products. It also provides empirical evidence to assist policymaking and regulations regarding prevention and control of non-cigarette tobacco products.
Research on opioid analgesics use and related consequences
Opioid crisis has become the top public health concern during the past two decades. Policies and programs that are designed to reduce problematic use and negative consequences of opioid analgesics have shown promises. Nonetheless, little attention has been given to unintended impacts from other policies and programs, such as marijuana regulation. This line of work focuses on the epidemiology of marijuana and opioid use and related consequences, and the influences of marijuana regulation on the opioid epidemic. The research provides empirical evidence to assist policymaking related to the prevention and control of marijuana and opioid.
Research on point-of-sale and social media marketing
As marijuana and non-cigarette tobacco products are commercialized and widely used, the presence of point-of-sale marketing in retail outlets is increased rapidly. Meanwhile, industries are using social media platforms to complement traditional marketing tactics. These changes create unprecedented challenges to drug prevention and regulation. Dr. Shi develops and validates instruments for marketing assessment, conducts field work to monitor drug retail environments, analyzes social media data to describe drug use epidemiology, and examines associations between marketing activities and drug use. The research provides empirical evidence on drug use surveillance, law enforcement and compliance, and impacts of marketing regulations.
Experimental research on drug abuse
This stream of work aims to understand the responsiveness and preferences of consumer behaviors in relation to policy-relevant product attributes. Using experimental techniques such as discrete choice experiments, best-worst scaling, and simulated purchase tasks, these studies estimate the potential effectiveness of different regulatory tactics for insufficiently regulated drugs such as marijuana, electronic cigarettes, and opioid analgesics.
Research on economic evaluation
Dr. Shi is also specialized in economic evaluation of health policies, health behavioral interventions, and health-related environmental improvement projects. Utilizing techniques such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and contingent valuation, this stream of work provides critical information to assist allocation of limited resources to public health investment and policy intervention.
Research funded by
NIH/NIDA, TRDRP, CA BCC, UCSD
Research on marijuana use and related consequences
Dr. Shi is primarily interested in the epidemiology, economics, and policies of marijuana use and marijuana use disorder. With medical marijuana policies adopted in over half states in the past two decades and recreational marijuana policies adopted in more than ten states recently, the marijuana-related legal, physical, economic, and marketing environments in the U.S. have changed dramatically. However, empirical studies on the influences of these policy and environmental changes remain very limited and simplistic, which substantially hinder the evidence-based public health policymaking. Dr. Shi's studies documented the epidemiology and spatial pattern of marijuana use outcomes in general population and vulnerable population, and revealed associations of policy, physical, economic, and marketing contextual factors with individual marijuana use outcomes in adolescents as well as adults. This body of work is expected to guide public health professionals to recognize the pressing issues in marijuana-related health and socioeconomic consequences and provide empirical evidence to assist policymakers and community health leaders regarding marijuana prevention and control.
Research on tobacco use and related consequences
Dr. Shi is also interested in the epidemiology of tobacco use and policies of tobacco control, with special interests in non-cigarette products such as electronic cigarettes and cigars. Although cigarette use prevalence has continuously decreased over the past two decades, the use of novel non-cigarette products has risen considerably especially among vulnerable populations and younger age groups. The research illustrated the emerging issues of non-cigarette tobacco products, the associations between non-cigarette tobacco use and cigarette smoking and other health outcomes, and the impacts of policy, physical, economic, and marketing contextual factors on tobacco use. This body of work highlights the need for policymaking and treatment that are tailored to population characteristics and type of tobacco products. It also provides empirical evidence to assist policymaking and regulations regarding prevention and control of non-cigarette tobacco products.
Research on opioid analgesics use and related consequences
Opioid crisis has become the top public health concern during the past two decades. Policies and programs that are designed to reduce problematic use and negative consequences of opioid analgesics have shown promises. Nonetheless, little attention has been given to unintended impacts from other policies and programs, such as marijuana regulation. This line of work focuses on the epidemiology of marijuana and opioid use and related consequences, and the influences of marijuana regulation on the opioid epidemic. The research provides empirical evidence to assist policymaking related to the prevention and control of marijuana and opioid.
Research on point-of-sale and social media marketing
As marijuana and non-cigarette tobacco products are commercialized and widely used, the presence of point-of-sale marketing in retail outlets is increased rapidly. Meanwhile, industries are using social media platforms to complement traditional marketing tactics. These changes create unprecedented challenges to drug prevention and regulation. Dr. Shi develops and validates instruments for marketing assessment, conducts field work to monitor drug retail environments, analyzes social media data to describe drug use epidemiology, and examines associations between marketing activities and drug use. The research provides empirical evidence on drug use surveillance, law enforcement and compliance, and impacts of marketing regulations.
Experimental research on drug abuse
This stream of work aims to understand the responsiveness and preferences of consumer behaviors in relation to policy-relevant product attributes. Using experimental techniques such as discrete choice experiments, best-worst scaling, and simulated purchase tasks, these studies estimate the potential effectiveness of different regulatory tactics for insufficiently regulated drugs such as marijuana, electronic cigarettes, and opioid analgesics.
Research on economic evaluation
Dr. Shi is also specialized in economic evaluation of health policies, health behavioral interventions, and health-related environmental improvement projects. Utilizing techniques such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and contingent valuation, this stream of work provides critical information to assist allocation of limited resources to public health investment and policy intervention.
Research funded by
NIH/NIDA, TRDRP, CA BCC, UCSD
