https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6336-8780
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Abstract
Background
We explored attitudes of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) toward their amphetamine-use and associations with reduced use over time.
Methods
We recruited sexually-active GBM aged 16+ years in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, Canada, from 02-2017 to 08-2019, with follow-up visits every 6–12 months until November 2020. Among participants who reported past-six-month (P6M) amphetamine-use at enrollment, we used logistic regression to identify demographic, psychological, social, mental health, other substance-use, and behavioral factors associated with reporting needing help reducing their substance-use. We used mixed-effects logistic regression to model reduced P6M amphetamine-use with perceived problematic-use as our primary explanatory variable.
Results
We enrolled 2,449 GBM across sites. 15.5-24.7% reported P6M amphetamine-use at enrollment and 82.6 − 85.7% reported needing no help or only a little help in reducing their substance use. Reporting needing a lot/of help or completely needing help in reducing substance-use was associated with group sex participation (AOR = 2.35, 95%CI:1.25–4.44), greater anxiety symptomatology (AOR = 2.11, 95%CI:1.16–3.83), greater financial strain (AOR = 1.35, 95%CI:1.21–1.50), and greater Escape Motive scores (AOR = 1.07, 95%CI:1.03–1.10). Reductions in P6M amphetamine-use were less likely among GBM who perceived their amphetamine-use as problematic (AOR = 0.17 95% CI 0.10 − 0.29).
Conclusions
Most amphetamine-using GBM did not feel they needed help reducing their substance use, and many reported reduced amphetamine-use at subsequent visits. Those who perceived their use as problematic were less likely to reduce their use. Further interventions to assist GBM in reducing their use are needed to assist those who perceive their use as problematic.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Engage/Momentum II study participants, office staff, and community engagement committee members, as well as our community partner agencies.
Declaration of interest
The authors declare there is no Complete of Interest at this study.
Declaration of interest statement
The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.
Role of funding source
Engage/Momentum II is funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR, #TE2-138299; #FDN = 143342; #PJT-153139), the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR), the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN, #1051), the Public Health Agency of Canada (#4500345082), and Ryerson University. AWHY was supported by a Faculty of Medicine Summer Student Research Award from the University of British Columbia in partnership with the Providence Health Care Research Institute. TAH is supported by an Endgame Leader Chair Award in Gay and Bisexual Men’s Health from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network. DMM, KGC, and NJL are supported by Scholar Awards from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (#5209, #2021-1547, #16863). SSS is supported by CTN and CIHR postdoctoral fellowship awards. DG is supported by a Canada Research Chair in Sexual and Gender Minority Health. JMS is supported by a CTN postdoctoral fellowship award and Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research trainee award.