Peter Saxton1, David Newcombe2, Arslan Ahmed2, Nigel Dickson3, Anthony Hughes4. 1. Gay Men's Sexual Health research group, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. 2. Department of Social and Community Health, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. 3. Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. 4. New Zealand AIDS Foundation, Auckland, New Zealand.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Data are lacking on drug use among gay and bisexual men (GBM) in New Zealand. We establish a baseline estimate of drug use and investigate associations with sexual health and HIV risk. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of GBM was conducted in gay community settings and online. Participants were asked their frequency of using nine drugs (poppers, cannabis, ecstasy, methamphetamine, amphetamine, cocaine, LSD, gamma hydroxybutyrate and ketamine) in the previous 6 months. We examined associations between selected drugs and number of recent partners, unprotected anal intercourse with a casual partner and sexually transmitted infections using adjusted odds ratios (AOR). RESULTS: Overall, 3211 participants provided information of whom 55.8% reported any drug use, and 37.9% cannabis, 36.7% poppers, 16.5% ecstasy, 10.5% amphetamine, 7.4% methamphetamine, 6.6% LSD, 6.1% cocaine, 5.3% gamma hydroxybutyrate and 4.4% ketamine use. A quarter of all respondents (25.6%) reported using one drug, 22.8% two to four and 7.4% five or more drugs (polydrugs). Methamphetamine and polydrug use was independently predictive of reporting >20 recent partners (AOR 1.6 and 7.0, respectively), unprotected anal intercourse with a casual partner (AOR 1.8 and 3.2, respectively) and a sexually transmitted infection (AOR 1.6 and 4.3, respectively). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Drug use was common in this sample of GBM. Polydrug and methamphetamine users had especially high sexual health needs, but risks remained elevated among GBM consuming other drugs. Drug harm reduction programs and HIV prevention should target GBM with problematic drug use. Limitations include an inability to attribute causation. [Saxton P, Newcombe D, Ahmed A, Dickson N, Hughes A. Illicit drug use among New Zealand gay and bisexual men: Prevalence and association with sexual health behaviours. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000-000].
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Data are lacking on drug use among gay and bisexual men (GBM) in New Zealand. We establish a baseline estimate of drug use and investigate associations with sexual health and HIV risk. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of GBM was conducted in gay community settings and online. Participants were asked their frequency of using nine drugs (poppers, cannabis, ecstasy, methamphetamine, amphetamine, cocaine, LSD, gamma hydroxybutyrate and ketamine) in the previous 6 months. We examined associations between selected drugs and number of recent partners, unprotected anal intercourse with a casual partner and sexually transmitted infections using adjusted odds ratios (AOR). RESULTS: Overall, 3211 participants provided information of whom 55.8% reported any drug use, and 37.9% cannabis, 36.7% poppers, 16.5% ecstasy, 10.5% amphetamine, 7.4% methamphetamine, 6.6% LSD, 6.1% cocaine, 5.3% gamma hydroxybutyrate and 4.4% ketamine use. A quarter of all respondents (25.6%) reported using one drug, 22.8% two to four and 7.4% five or more drugs (polydrugs). Methamphetamine and polydrug use was independently predictive of reporting >20 recent partners (AOR 1.6 and 7.0, respectively), unprotected anal intercourse with a casual partner (AOR 1.8 and 3.2, respectively) and a sexually transmitted infection (AOR 1.6 and 4.3, respectively). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Drug use was common in this sample of GBM. Polydrug and methamphetamine users had especially high sexual health needs, but risks remained elevated among GBM consuming other drugs. Drug harm reduction programs and HIV prevention should target GBM with problematic drug use. Limitations include an inability to attribute causation. [Saxton P, Newcombe D, Ahmed A, Dickson N, Hughes A. Illicit drug use among New Zealand gay and bisexual men: Prevalence and association with sexual health behaviours. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000-000].