Latent Growth Curve Modeling of Non-Injection Drug Use and Condomless Sexual Behavior from Ages 18 to 21 in Gay, Bisexual, and Other YMSM: The P18 Cohort Study

Abstract

Background HIV/AIDS continues to be a health disparity faced by sexual minority men, and is exacerbated by non-injection drug use. Objectives We sought to delineate growth in non-injection drug use and condomless sex in a sample of racially and economically diverse of gay, bisexual, and other young men who have sex with men (YMSM) as they emerged into adulthood between the ages of 18 and 21 and who came of age in the post-HAART era. Methods Behavioral data on drug use and condomless sex, collected via a calendar based technique over 7 waves of a cohort study of 600 YMSM, were analyzed using latent growth curve modeling to document patterns of growth in these behaviors, their associations, and the extent to which patterns and associations are moderated by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Results Significant growth was noted in the frequencies of condomless oral and anal intercourse, alcohol to intoxication, marijuana use, and inhalant nitrate use. High levels of association were noted between all behaviors across time but associations did not differ by either race/ethnicity or socioeconomic status. The link between drug use and risky sexual behavior continue to be evident in YMSM with significant increases in these behaviors demonstrated as YMSM transition between adolescence and young adulthood. Conclusions/Importance Healthcare for a new generation of sexual minority males must address the synergy of these behaviors and also nest HIV prevention and care within a larger context of sexual minority health that acknowledges the advances made in the last three decades.

Testing the drug use and condomless anal sex link among sexual minority men: The predictive utility of marijuana and interactions with relationship status

“…This prevented the introduction of a large number of correlated predictors and their associated interaction terms. While this analytic strategy prevents conclusions about the relative risk associated with specific kinds of club drugs, the use of an aggregated variable such as this is consistent with other studies (Coyer et al, 2019;Halkitis et al, 2018;Morgan et al, 2016).…”

“…While some have indicated a significant association between marijuana use and CAS with casual partners (e.g., Feinstein et al, 2019;Halkitis et al, 2018;Hendershot et al, 2010) other studies have not (e.g., Janulis et al, 2018;Rendina et al, 2015). These findings point to several factors that may contribute to such variability in previous research.…”

Determinants of Intimate Partner Violence Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men: The P18 Cohort Study

“…The sociodemographic composition of the sample has been described in previous publications (Stults et al, 2015a; Halkitis, Bub, Stults, Bates, & Kapadia, 2018; Halkitis & Figueroa, 2013) and is displayed in Table 1. In summary, the sample predominantly comprised racial/ethnic minority YMSM ( n = 421, 70.2%).…”

Evaluation of a Stepped-Care eHealth HIV Prevention Program for Diverse Adolescent Men Who Have Sex With Men: Protocol for a Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness Implementation Trial of SMART

“…AMSM are the most at risk for HIV infection compared with all other subgroups of adolescents because of specific risk factors [ 1 ]. Some of these factors that contribute to inconsistent condom use are common to AMSM and adult men who have sex with men (MSM) alike, such as substance use before or during sex [ 12 ], familiarity with partners [ 13 ], and negative affective states such as loneliness or depression [ 14 , 15 ]. Other factors are more unique to AMSM, such as access to and cost of condoms [ 16 ], inconsistent sexual health education [ 17 , 18 ], sexual inexperience [ 14 ], sex with older partners [ 19 , 20 ], and underage use of sexual networking apps for adults [ 21 ].…”