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Methamphetamine use and sexual risk behaviours among men who have sex with men diagnosed with early syphilis in Los Angeles County.
International Journal of STD & AIDS. 2007; 18:
93-97.
Taylor MM, Aynalem G, Smith LV, Montoya
J, Kerndt P.
Abstract
Methamphetamine use has been associated with risky sexual behaviour and sexually
transmitted disease (STD)/HIV transmission among men who have sex with men
(MSM). Field interview records for MSM early syphilis (ES) patients were reviewed
for factors associated with methamphetamine use during January 2001 through
December 2004. There were a total of 2915 ES cases reported during the study
period. Of these, 1904 (65%) were MSM. Of these MSM, 167 reported methamphetamine
use. Methamphetamine use was associated with having multiple sex partners
(prevalence ratios [PR] 1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-2.4), not using
condoms (PR 2.0, 95% CI 1.3-2.5), having anonymous sex partners (PR 1.1 95%
CI 1.03-1.2), history of recent incarceration (PR 5.4, 95% CI 3.3-8.7), and
meeting sex partners via the Internet (PR 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-2.1), at bathhouses
(PR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.0) and on the streets (PR 2.6, 95% CI 1.7-4.0). In multivariate
analysis having multiple sex partners, not using condoms, recent incarceration
and meeting sex partners at bathhouses were significantly associated with
methamphetamine use. In conclusion, effective STD risk reduction interventions
targeting MSM methamphetamine users are needed to curb risky sexual behaviour.