ABSTRACT
Background
Recent research shows that co-use of stimulants and opioids appears to be increasing and injection of opioids and stimulants carries a risk for HIV transmission. This study examined stimulant injection and sexual HIV risk behaviors among individuals who reported nonmedical use of gabapentin and opioids (n = 62).
Methods
Comparisons of people who injected stimulants to those who did not were conducted using chi-square and t-tests.
Results
Compared to those who did not, people who injected stimulants, were less likely to be African American/Black (p < 0.05) and more likely to report sex with another person who injects drugs (p < 0.01), recent injections of prescription and/or illicit opioids (p < .000), and hepatitis C infection (p < 0.01). Condomless intercourse during group sex was more prevalent among stimulant injectors, significant at the trend level (p < 0.1).
Conclusions
Given the documented association between the use of opioids and nonmedical use of gabapentin and the growing trend of opioid-stimulant co-use, future research must examine whether nonmedical use of gabapentin is an indicator of substance use disorder severity and/or a risk factor for injection drug use. Education and intervention opportunities that address group sex and other sexual risk behaviors are warranted.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Data availability statement
The data that support this study will be shared upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.