Recreational drug use, polydrug use, and sexual behaviour in HIV-diagnosed men who have sex with men in the UK: results from the cross-sectional ASTRA study

Abstract Background- Recreational drug use among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) was a public health issue of worldwide concern. Evidence had shown the relevance between recreational drug use and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. This study aimed to investigate the current prevalence state of recreational drug use among YMSM in Tianjin, discern the characteristics of YMSM who used recreational drugs or not and examine the interaction effect of recreational drug use and unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) on HIV infection.Methods- In 2018, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Tianjin, China. The snowball sampling method was used to recruit YMSM. Participants were recruited from gay bars, gay bathhouses, social network sites (WeChat, QQ, gay chat website), gay apps and peer referrals. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data.Results- A total of 1075 YMSM met the eligibility criteria and were included in the study eventually. The overall HIV prevalence was 4.3% (46/1075). Of all the recreational drugs involved in this study (rush poppers, methamphetamine, capsule No.0), rush poppers (406/517,78.5%) were the most popular among YMSM in Tianjin. Compared with non-drug users, drug users were more likely to have first sex earlier, be bisexual, be male sex worker (MSW), have a higher education level, seek sex partners through physical venues, engage in UAI, have sexually transmitted infection (STI), and receive HIV testing. Moreover, recreational drug use and UAI were associated with the increased risk of HIV infection [adjusted OR:3.6 (95%CI: 1.7-7.6) and 4.9 (95%CI: 2.2-10.4), respectively]. There was additive interaction of recreational drug use and UAI on HIV infection [relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI): 6.949 (95%CI: 0.011‐13.887); attributable proportion due to interaction (AP): 0.809 (95%CI: 0.578‐1.039)].Conclusions- Recreational drug use was common and correlated with HIV infection among YMSM in Tianjin. There was an urgent need to build novel targeted HIV prevention strategies to discern and reduce recreational drug use among YMSM in China.

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Increase in recreational drug use between 2008‐2018: results from a prospective cohort study among HIV‐negative men who have sex with men

Addiction ◽

10.1111/add.15666 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Liza Coyer ◽

Anders Boyd ◽

Udi Davidovich ◽

Ward P. H. Bilsen ◽

Maria Prins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Drug Use ◽

Prospective Cohort Study ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Recreational Drug ◽

Recreational Drug Use ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Hiv Negative

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Recreational drug use and risks of HIV and sexually transmitted infections among Chinese men who have sex with men: Mediation through multiple sexual partnerships

BMC Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1186/s12879-014-0642-9 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Jun-Jie Xu ◽

Chen Zhang ◽

Qing-Hai Hu ◽

Zhen-Xing Chu ◽

Jing Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Use ◽

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

Recreational Drug ◽

Sexual Partnerships ◽

Chinese Men ◽

Sexually Transmitted ◽

Recreational Drug Use ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Multiple Sexual Partnerships

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Investigating Conceptual Models for the Relationship Between Depression and Condomless Sex Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who have Sex with Men: Using Structural Equation Modelling to Assess Mediation

AIDS and Behavior ◽

10.1007/s10461-019-02724-0 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 24 (6) ◽

pp. 1793-1806

Author(s):

A. R. Miltz ◽

◽

A. J. Rodger ◽

A. Cozzi Lepri ◽

J. Sewell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Use ◽

Structural Equation Modelling ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Recreational Drug ◽

Condomless Sex ◽

Equation Modelling ◽

Recreational Drug Use ◽

Sex With Men ◽

The Relationship

AbstractThe aim of this study is to investigate five hypothesized mechanisms of causation between depression and condomless sex with ≥ 2 partners (CLS2+) among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), involving alternative roles of self-efficacy for sexual safety and recreational drug use. Data were from the AURAH cross-sectional study of 1340 GBMSM attending genitourinary medicine clinics in England (2013–2014). Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to investigate which conceptual model was more consistent with the data. Twelve percent of men reported depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) and 32% reported CLS2+ in the past 3 months. AURAH data were more consistent with the model in which depression was considered to lead to CLS2+ indirectly via low self-efficacy for sexual safety (indirect Beta = 0.158; p < 0.001) as well as indirectly via higher levels of recreational drug use (indirect Beta = 0.158; p < 0.001). SEM assists in understanding the relationship between depression and CLS among GBMSM.

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Syphilis associated with recreational drug use, depression and high-risk sexual behaviour in men who have sex with men: a case–control study in China

Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽

10.1136/sextrans-2018-053878 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 95 (4) ◽

pp. 267-272

Author(s):

Huichao Wu ◽

Cuizhen Xiu ◽

Xiaojing Fu ◽

Menglong Li ◽

Zhenhong Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Drug Use ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Case Control ◽

Multiple Drug ◽

Recreational Drug ◽

Syphilis Infection ◽

Recreational Drug Use ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Control Study

ObjectiveWe investigated syphilis prevalence among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China, as well as potential risk factors. Our principal hypothesis was that syphilis would be associated with the use of recreational drugs such as methamphetamines.MethodsFrom April to October 2013, we used several methods to recruit MSM in Qingdao, collecting demographic/behavioural information via self-administrated questionnaires. Trained health workers collected blood for the Treponema pallidum particle assay (TPPA) with positives confirmed by a toluidine red unheated serum test. We used an unmatched case–control study to identify factors that might predict syphilis infection using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsWe recruited 447 MSM who agreed to participate and who completed syphilis testing. Of 71 (15.9%) syphilis-positive MSM, 44 (62.0%) used drugs. Of 376 (84.1%) syphilis-negative MSM, 186 (49.5%) used drugs. We found a positive association with syphilis for any recreational drug use (crude OR (cOR) 1.7, 95 % CI 1.0 to 2.8), frequent methamphetamine use (cOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 5.3) and multiple drug use (adjusted OR (aOR) 3.4, 95% CI 1.3 to 9.2). Syphilis-positive men were more likely to have a higher physical depression score (aOR 5.2, 95% CI 1.1 to 24.4), be > 30 years old (aOR 2.7, 95% CI 1.5 to 4.8), report a prior STI (aOR 4.1, 95% CI 2.3 to 7.3) and report a sex party experience (aOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1 to 4.4).ConclusionsRecreational drug use, depression and high-risk sexual behaviours were associated with syphilis infection among MSM in China. Only a multifaceted approach is likely be effective in control of both syphilis and HIV .

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