Fisher DG, Jaffe A, Reynolds-Fisher GL, Branson CM; International Conference on AIDS (15th : 2004 : Bangkok, Thailand).
Int Conf AIDS. 2004 Jul 11-16; 15: abstract no. WePeC6132.
California State University, Long Beach, United States
Background: To explore the relationship between designer drug use and HIV risk behavior in a sample of injection drug users in Los Angeles County, California, USA. Methods: A community-based sample of 355 injection drug users (IDUs) was recruited from a hepatitis testing program in Los Angeles County. The Risk Behavior Assessment and the Designer Drug Trailer were used to collect information on demographics, as well as sex and drug risk behaviors. Results: IDUs who self-identified as either gay or bisexual were more likely to have previously used MDMA (chi[2](1, N=299)=10.26, p=.001), Ketamine (chi[2](1, N=299)=34.96, p=.001), and GHB/GHL (chi[2](1, N=299)=7.32, p=.01). Users of cocaine were more likely to have used MDMA (chi[2](1, N=308)=4.5, p=.05), as were users of amphetamines (chi[2](1, N=308)=4.38, p=.05). Designer drug use was also negatively correlated with age (r=-.38, p=.0001). Further, IDUs who have previously been told that they are infected with HIV were significantly more likely to have ever used Ketamine (chi[2](1, N=279)=7.7, p=.01). IDUs engaging in either receptive or insertive anal sex were significantly more likely to have used Ketamine (chi[2](1, N=339)=11.33, p=.001), the only designer drug reported as having been injected. Lastly, designer drug use was significantlly higher in White IDUs than in either Black or Hispanic IDUs (chi[2](3, N=324)=14.48, p=.01. Conclusions: Self-identified gay men were found to be more likely to use designer drugs that have been reported to be associated with high-risk sexual behavior. Moreover, as use of these drugs was associated with younger age, these users may be less likely to consider themselves at risk and less likely to use safter sex methods.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Bisexuality
- California
- HIV
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- HIV Seroprevalence
- Homosexuality
- Homosexuality, Male
- Humans
- Los Angeles
- Male
- Risk-Taking
- Sexual Behavior
- Substance-Related Disorders
Other ID:
UI: 102284051
From Meeting Abstracts