Regional Patterns and Correlates of Substance Use Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men in 7 US Urban Areas

Abstract

Effective drug prevention and treatment programs addressing local drug-use patterns and associated factors are urgently needed for young MSM, a population with a high rate of illicit drug use.

Longitudinal Patterns of Methamphetamine, Popper (Amyl Nitrite), and Cocaine Use and High-Risk Sexual Behavior Among a Cohort of San Francisco Men Who Have Sex with Men

“…Although average levels of use of methamphetamines, poppers, or sniffed cocaine did not increase over the duration of the trial, younger MSM were more likely to report increasing use of these drugs. Given the high rates of drug use reported by young MSM, with up to 66% reporting illicit drug use in the prior 6 months, 3 and their high risk for HIV infection, 23 these findings substantiate the need for HIV prevention interventions that reach and engage young drug-using MSM, and for HIV prevention programs targeting young MSM to stress the link between drug use and sexual risk behavior. Intervening among younger populations presents many challenges, but present opportunities to reduce sexual and drug-use behavior in early adulthood, thereby preventing the long-term sequelae of these risky behaviors.…”

“…20 Our finding that Latino participants were less likely to report use of these drugs compared with white participants is consistent with other studies. 3,21 These findings reinforce the importance of recognizing that drug-use patterns vary among racial/ethnic groups of MSM, and that HIV prevention interventions need to be tailored accordingly.…”

“…1,2 Evidence points to corresponding high rates of drug use, suggesting that drug use may be contributing to higher levels of sexual risk behavior. 3 The general relationship between noninjection drug use and HIV risk behavior has been well documented. [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] However, most studies examining the relationship between sexual risk behavior and drug use have been crosssectional or retrospective.…”

Homelessness and drug abuse among young men who have sex with men in New York city: A preliminary epidemiological trajectory

“…These increases are especially troubling because they follow a period of steadily declining rates of new infection among MSM, and suggest that existing prevention programming is not working, particularly in younger MSM cohorts. Among the factors contributing to this renewal in the growth of HIV infection rates in MSM populations, drug abuse has emerged as a significant contributing factor, both in relation to sexual risk as well as in the context of injection-mediated transmission risk (c.f., Thiede et al, 2003).…”

Psychosocial health problems increase risk for HIV among urban young men who have sex with men: Preliminary evidence of a syndemic in need of attention

“…For example, in the CDC's Young Men's Survey (YMS) almost 90% of 15-22 year old MSM reported using alcohol, 66% reported illicit drug use, 29% used drugs on a regular basis, and 28% reported polydrug use (all in the 6 months prior to the interview) (16). A comparisons of YMS data to general population samples of youth concluded that rates of alcohol use were similar, but rates of illicit drugs were higher (16). Rates of mental illness among YMSM are difficult to estimate because sexual orientation has not been assessed in major epidemiological studies of youth mental health.…”