Speed, Sex, Gay Men, and HIV: Ecological and Community Perspectives

Abstract

Fifteen years into the HIV/AIDS epidemic, a great deal is now known about the different populations impacted by the disease, including those affected directly or indirectly by drug use. Anthropology has played a critical role in assisting with this task by identifying hidden populations, developing new methodological approaches, and targeting outreach efforts. In spite of this considerable body of ethnographic knowledge, men who have sex with other men (i.e., MSM, or gay and bisexual men) who use drugs have not received the same research attention as other drug users, despite the fact that they represent nearly one-fifth of AIDS cases in the U.S. with injection drug histories. In response to the alarming increase in HIV seroprevalence among this population, this ethnographic project provides preliminary data about those who are at dual risk for HIV through both homosexual behavior and injection drug use.

Club Drugs as Causal Risk Factors for HIV Acquisition Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Review

“…In our conceptual framework, methamphetamine could be associated with elevated risk of HIV infection through multiple causal pathways. Commonly, methamphetamine users report increased libido (Buffum, 1982;Gorman et al, 1997;Green, 2003;Semple et al, 2002), increased sexual function (Diaz et al, 2005;, and more sexual confidence (Green, 2003;Semple et al, 2002) in association with use of this drug. Studies of the action of methamphetamine on the human body indicate that it results in altered mental states among users (McKim, 2003;NIDA, 2002).…”

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

“…We focus on methamphetamines, poppers, and sniffed cocaine because these drugs are associated with high-risk sexual behavior. 11,13,14 We also assess predictors of baseline use and changes in use of these drugs and examine whether increased use is associated with increases in sexual risk behavior.…”

Reducing HIV Infections at Circuit Parties: From Description to Explanation and Principles of Intervention Design

“…2,7,8,14,15 Research on men who have sex with men (MSM) has shown that drug use is related to sexual disinhibition and altered judgment, which increases the likelihood of engaging in any type of sexual activity but, more specifically, increases the likelihood of risk-taking behaviors, such as UAI, and thus increases the transmission of a host of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including but not limited to HIV. 4,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32] When considering what is already known, the claim of a possible relationship between party attendance and HIV infection is not unwarranted.…”