Time-Site Survey of Substance Use, Sexual Behaviours, and HIV-Testing Practices among Women Attending Social Venues in Prague

AIM:

The rates of HIV acquired through heterosexual contact are increasing in the Czech Republic. This study explored potential HIV risk associations with alcohol, illicit drugs and sexual behaviors among adults from a community-based sample attending gay- and non-gay venues in Prague.

METHODS:

Women attending bars, cafes and beer gardens in central Prague responded to the self-administered, time-site survey. Alcohol use was measured by the AUDIT-C and CAGE questionnaires. Sexual network structuring identified number, gender and coital frequency with current and recent sexual partners. Statistical analysis included central tendency, chi-square and logistic regression. Female participants (n=124) ranged from 18 to 67 years of age (mean 29 years); 25% self-identified as non-heterosexual.

RESULTS:

We found alcohol to be the preferred drug of choice. Younger heterosexual women with new and casual sexual partners were more likely to use alcohol excessively. Women with children reported the least alcohol use. Sixty percent of the sample had never used condoms; condom-use was associated with longer relationship duration and discussions about HIV status with a sexual partner; non-use tended to occur among unmarried women with multiple male partners in short, serial sexual relationships. Women who sought HIV testing tended to be younger and more self-identified as non-heterosexual. Protective practices were rarely reported even when HIV transmission increases via heterosexual sexual partnering.

CONCLUSION:

Further research is recommended regarding cultural and contextual influences on HIV risk behaviors among Czech women.

Purchase full article at:   http://goo.gl/kZq2wt

By:  Stemmler SM1,2, Hall TM1, Prokopík P3, Shoptaw S1.

• 1Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
• 2California State University, Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA, United States.
• 3Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
• Cent Eur J Public Health. 2015 Jun;23(2):135-141. 

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Mental Health and Sexual Identity in a Sample of Male Sex Workers in the Czech Republic

Background

Previous qualitative research has examined male sex workers in the Czech Republic, but this mapping study is the first to investigate male sex work in a quantitative research design and focus on the mental health of these sex workers. This study also examines male sex workers’ mental health problems in relation to their sexual identity or orientation.

Material/Methods

A sample of Czech male sex workers (N=40) were examined on a range of sexual and psychological variables using a quantitative survey administered face-to-face. The study employed locally validated versions of Beck’s Depression Inventory and Zung’s Self-Report Anxiety Scale.

Results

The results indicate that for homosexuals, working as a male sex worker is not related to any serious mental health problems. However, those identifying as heterosexual and bisexual more frequently reported symptoms of depression and bisexuals showed significantly more anxiety.

Conclusions

These findings suggest sexual identity is an important issue to consider when addressing the mental health needs of this population.

Below:  Male sex workers scores on Zung’s Self Report Anxiety Scale, with scores of 45 or greater indicating clinically significant levels of anxiety

Full article at:   http://goo.gl/ShuOWv

By:   Michael Bar-JohnsonA,B,C,D,E,F,G and Petr WeissA,B,C,D,E,F

First Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic

Corresponding Author: Michael Bar-Johnson, e-mail: zc.pynu@nosnhojm

  

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Number of Syringes Distributed per People Who Inject Drugs per Year in Selected Countries

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The Drug Situation in Europe: An Overview of Data Available on Illicit Drugs & New Psychoactive Substances from European Monitoring in 2015

A central task for the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) is to produce an annual report of the latest data available on drug demand and drug supply in Europe. This paper is intended to facilitate a better understanding of, and easier access to, the main quantitative European level data sets available in 2015.

The European reporting system formally covers all 28 European Union (EU) Member States, Norway and Turkey and incorporates multiple indicators alongside an early warning system (EWS) on uncontrolled new psychoactive substances (NPS). While epidemiological information is based largely on registries, surveys and other routine data reported annually, the EWS collects case-based data on an ongoing basis. The 2015 reporting exercise is centred primarily on a set of standardized reporting tools.

The most recent data provided by European countries are presented, including data on drug use, drug-related morbidity and mortality, treatment demand, drug markets and new psychoactive substances, with data tables provided and methodological information. A number of key results are highlighted for illustrative purposes. Drug prevalence estimates from national surveys since 2012 (last year prevalence of use among the 15-34 age band) range 

• from 0.4% in Turkey to 22.1% in France for cannabis, 
• from 0.2% in Greece and Romania to 4.2% in the United Kingdom for cocaine, 
• from 0.1% in Italy and Turkey to 3% in the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom for ecstasy, 
• and from 0.1% or less in Romania, Italy and Portugal to 2.5% in Estonia for amphetamine. 

Declining trends in new HIV detections among people who inject drugs are illustrated, in addition to presentation of a breakdown of NPS reported to the EU early warning system, which have risen exponentially from fewer than 20 a year between 2005 and 2008, to 101 reported in 2014.

Structured information is now available on patterns and trends in drug consumption in Europe, which permits triangulation of data from different sources and consideration of methodological limitations. Opioid drugs continue to place a burden on the drug treatment system, although both new heroin entrants and injecting show declines. More than 450 new psychoactive substances are now monitored by the European early warning system with 31 new synthetic cathinones and 30 new synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists notified in 2014.

Below:  Newly diagnosed HIV cases related to injecting drug use: trends in number of cases

Below:  Number and categories of new psychoactive substances notified to the EU Early Warning System

Via:  http://ht.ly/SWZe4 Full article at: http://ht.ly/SWZtA 

By: Mounteney J1, Griffiths P1, Sedefov R1, Noor A1, Vicente J1, Simon R1.

• 1European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Lisbon, Portugal. 

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