About Sirus
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Research Teams

Three research teams carry out research and documentation. The threefold division corresponds to the types of information SIRUS, as an applied social science institute involved in the study of highly problematic areas of social life of great importance to civil society, is required to collate and publish. The information concerns, in other words,

  1. Knowledge of the scale and distribution of the phenomena
  2. Knowledge of causes and effects
  3. Knowledge which facilitates problem prevention/alleviation
The research teams pursue in addition the following strategic goals:
  • Raise the institute’s scientific profile – that is, the type of data the institute is expected to produce and its classification;
  • Delegate lead responsibility for scientific activities and responsibility for research area development;
  • Establish priority of scientific engagements

Documentation and descriptive studies

Head of Research: Karl Erik Lund

This research team produces and analyses data on prevalence and change in the field of substance use and abuse. The work includes maintaining statistics on and overall idea of consumption , sales, commerce and preventive measures put in place in relation to alcohol, tobacco, drugs and gambling. For alcohol and drugs, the research team also studies adverse implications for health and social relations.

Descriptive research

This includes estimating the scale of a problem such as, for instance, “how many injecting drug users are there in Norway?”, and identifying target groups for possible action: “what characterises this group of drug injectors?” Research, in other words, will often be descriptive, addressing scale of substance use and consumption rates of the different substances. Analyses of use and abuse patterns and trends are also a central concern.

Explanations and consequences

Head of Research: Ingeborg Rossow

The research team works to retrieve information which can help explain and shed light on the use and sale of legal and illegal substances known to cause harm and result in problems. The focus is on theoretical models where empirical research is used for theory and model building. It is about basic research as well, theory development and hypothesis testing by empirical studies.

Intervention research

Head of Research: Astrid Skretting

The research team studies interventions aimed at preventing, treating and/or reducing harm. Interventions include shorter-term preventive measures initiated at the local, regional and national level and longer term preventive action, including legislation on alcohol and tobacco.

The team also analyses treatment programmes along with information and attitude campaigns to isolate success/failure criteria .

Evaluation

In addition to traditional effect evaluation, the research team engages in process and implementation evaluation and longitudinal research. These projects explore the manner in which mechanisms are enacted, the background for choices and decisions, and importance of context to intervention success.