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. 2013 Nov 1;133(1):262-5.
doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.06.007. Epub 2013 Jul 23.

Methamphetamine and other substance use trends among street-recruited men who have sex with men, from 2008 to 2011

Cathy J Reback  1 , Jesse B Fletcher, Steven Shoptaw, Christine E Grella
Affiliations

Methamphetamine and other substance use trends among street-recruited men who have sex with men, from 2008 to 2011

Cathy J Reback et al. Drug Alcohol Depend. .

Abstract

Background: It is particularly important to survey substance use trends in populations most impacted by the consequences of substance use. Men who have sex with men (MSM) exhibit rates of methamphetamine and other substance use that exceeds those observed among other populations in the United States. Such substance use has been associated with numerous negative health sequelae.

Methods: An outreach program performed street encounters with 5599 unique substance-using MSM from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2011 to collect data on self-reported sociodemographics and recent substance use. Data were aggregated into six-month cohorts for comparisons of recent substance use patterns across time

Results: Participants averaged 33 years of age (SD=8), most were Caucasian/white (47%) or Hispanic/Latino (32%), and the self-reported HIV seroprevalence rate was 13.4%. Across cohorts, reported use of alcohol (range=91-93%), marijuana (range=36-46%), and/or methamphetamine (range=23-27%) was common; prevalence of amyl nitrite (max=14%), ecstasy (max=12%), powder cocaine (max=8%) and/or crack cocaine (max=4%) use, although less common, were still elevated relative to the United States general population.

Conclusions: Methamphetamine and other substance use remained common among substance-using MSM, demonstrating the need for continued substance use interventions geared toward this high-risk population.

Keywords: HIV; MSM; Methamphetamine; Street outreach; Substance use.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

SS receives support in the form of clinical supplies for NIH-funded studies from the following companies: Medicinova, Inc; Pfizer, Inc; Gilead, Inc. All other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Estimated prevalence of methamphetamine and other substance use during the previous 30 days among MSM substance users from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2011, adjusting for participant age, race/ethnicity, HIV status, and 6-month cohort
Adjusted percent of participants reporting recent use of methamphetamine (closed squares) and other substance use (alcohol [closed circles], marijuana [open circles], amyl nitrite [open squares], ecstasy [closed diamond], crack cocaine [closed triangle], and powder cocaine [open triangle]) among MSM substance users contacted through street outreach in Hollywood and West Hollywood, California from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2011 (N = 5,599). Labeling on X axis refers to six-month time periods (i.e., 1H08 = first half of 2008).
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Publication types

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