From "Male Bonding Rituals" to "Suicide Tuesday": A qualitative study of issues faced by gay male ecstasy (MDMA) users

Use of MDMA and other club drugs has increased among gay men, but questions remain concerning the use, context, and popularity of these drugs; and views of their side effects. We interviewed in-depth 12 gay MDMA users in New York. MDMA had specific appeals to gay men, who often described isolation and stigmatization. Users underwent a period of initiation and social networks often became comprised of greater numbers of other users. Club environments fostered drug use and vice versa. Awareness of potential adverse effects varied and was minimized. Appropriate educational and prevention programs are needed to address these issues, and must take into account the specific contexts of these gay men's lives.     

Tell It Slant Sex,Disclosure, and HIV

Encounters with HIV can tell us much about how we as individuals communicate about and view our bodies and most intimate selves—how we view and approach truth, lies, sex, and trust. Better ways of handling issues of disclosure in conjunction with changed sexual practices can be crucial to thwarting the HIV pandemic. We interviewed in depth 59 HIV-infected and 18 uninfected gay, bisexual, and heterosexual men and women. Five strategies emerged for dealing with disclosure and safer sex. Clinicians and policymakers need to be as aware and sensitive as possible to the perspectives of men and women grappling with these issues.     

Towards flexible organizations: A multidimensional design

The author considers one way by which the readiness, willingness, and ability of organizations to change themselves can be increased. Specifically, he considers how organizations can be designed to be more flexible and, therefore, more capable of being changed and changing themselves. Flexibility does not guarantee adaptability but it is essential for it.     

Marketing segmentation research—An application to bank services

The research reported here analyses data relating to bank services obtained by a stratified random sampling technique using stepwise linear regression and canonical correlation for the purpose of illustrating the application of segmentation principles to marketing research.