High Rates of Club Drug Use and Risky Sexual Practices Among Hispanic Men Who Have Sex with Men in Miami, Florida

Abstract

This study measured use of club drugs among 262 Hispanic men who have sex with men (MSM) recruited at community venues in Miami-Dade County, Florida in 2001. More than 50% of men used club drugs, and 36% used them in the last 3 months. Lifetime and 3-month rates were: ecstasy (36% and 20%), cocaine (34% and 12%), amyl nitrates (28% and 9%), and crystal methamphetamine (20% and 15%). Thirty-six percent had used two or more drugs (polydrug use) in their lifetime and 20% reported polydrug use in the last 3 months. Club drug users had significantly more sex partners in the last 12 months than nonclub drug users. High rates (35%) of unprotected anal sex in the last 3 months were reported by both groups. Men who reported polydrug use in the last 3 months were significantly more likely than men who used a single club drug to have had sex under the influence of club drugs (83% vs. 57%; X2=7.4, p=0.006). At the multivariate level, a significant association between preference for use of English and lifetime club drug use emerged. Effective interventions to reduce club drug use and risky sex for Hispanic MSM are needed.

Efficacy of a behavioral intervention for increasing safer sex behaviors in HIV-positive MSM methamphetamine users: Results from the EDGE study

“…Methamphetamine is the most widely used drug among men having sex with men (MSM) in the Western U.S. states, and individuals who use methamphetamine are at increased risk of acquiring HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs; Clatts et al, 2005;Fernández et al, 2005;Halkitis et al, 2001;Purcell et al, 2001,Boddiger, 2005Urbina and Jones, 2004). Methamphetamine appears to play an important role in sexual risk behaviors, particularly at the psychological level.…”

Surfing New Territory: Club-Drug Use and Risky Sex Among Hispanic Men Who Have Sex with Men Recruited on the Internet

“…To reflect local patterns of use, 27,30 we included the following drugs in the operational definition of club drugs: cocaine, Ecstasy, crystal, poppers, GHB, Special K, and Viagra. Eighty-three men (48.5%) had used club drugs in the last 6 months.…”

Social norms related to combining drugs and sex (“chemsex”) among gay men in South London

“…Drug use is common on gay commercial scenes in several major international cities (Bauermeister, 2007;Fernandez et al, 2005;Keogh et al, 2009;Mattison, Ross, Wolfson, & Franklin, 2001;Theodore, Duran, & Antoni, 2014), however in London there appears to have been a recent shift in the types of drugs that are commonly used and the settings within which such use occurs. While 'club drugs' such as ecstasy or cocaine had previously been those popular (Bourne et al, 2014), there has been a rise in the proportion of gay and bisexual men presenting to drug clinics for problems related to three newer substances: mephedrone, gamma-hydroxybutyrate/gamma-butyrolactone (GHB/GBL), and crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth) (Stuart, 2013).…”