Highlights
- This paper examined trends in methamphetamine use among gay and bisexual men in Australia using ongoing behavioural surveillance data.
- Recent Crystal methamphetamine use increased during 2010-14, after several years of decline, while regular use remained stable
- Among men who reported crystal methamphetamine use, injecting drug use was reported among half of HIV-positive men compared to one-fifth of HIV-negative and unknown HIV status men.
- Qualitative research is needed to guide the development of culturally appropriate harm reduction responses.
Background
Gay
and bisexual men typically report high rates of illicit drug use, including
methamphetamine use. This paper aimed to analyse trends in crystal
methamphetamine (‘crystal’) and powder methamphetamine (‘speed’) use among gay
and bisexual men in Australia, and characterise the sociodemographic, drug use,
and sexual risk practices of men who reported crystal use.
Methods
The
Gay Community Periodic Surveys, routinely conducted behavioural surveillance
surveys of gay men in Australia, were analysed to examine trends in recent
crystal and speed use during 2005-14 (any use in the previous six months), and
trends in regular crystal and speed use during 2007-14 (at least monthly use in
the previous six months). Covariates of recent and regular crystal use were
analysed using 2014 data.
Results
Speed
use declined from 25.0% to 10.2% during 2005-14 (p-trend < .001), while
regular speed use declined from 7.0% to 2.3% during 2007-14
(p-trend < .001). Any crystal use declined from 15.6% to 11.4% during
2005-14 (p-trend < .001) and increased during 2010-14 (from 9.6% in 2010;
p-trend < .001). Regular crystal use declined from 6.1% to 4.0% during
2007-14 (p-trend < .001) and remained stable during 2010-14 (3.9% in 2010;
p-trend = .64). Participants who reported regular crystal use were more likely
than men who used crystal less frequently to have used gamma-hydroxybutyrate,
used party drugs for sex, and to have injected drugs in the previous six
months. High rates of crystal use and injecting were reported among
HIV-positive participants.
Conclusions
Rates
of both crystal and speed use, despite fluctuations, were consistently high
throughout the study period. The high rates of crystal use and
associations with potentially risky sexual practices indicate that gay and
bisexual men should be a particular focus for targeted harm reduction and
combined harm reduction and sexual health services.
Purchase full article at: http://goo.gl/kyeZpv
Affiliations
Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Australia,
Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
Correspondence
Corresponding author at: Centre for Social Research in
Health, John Goodsell Building, UNSW Australia, Sydney NSW, 2052, Australia.
Tel.: +61 2 9385 6412; fax: +61 2 9385 6455.
More at: https://twitter.com/hiv insight
No comments:
Post a Comment