Associations between Cannabis Use and Sexual Risk Behavior among Women under Community Supervision: A Brief Report

Abstract

Objectives

Cannabis use and sexual risk behavior have been found to co-occur, but more research on these associations is needed among criminal justice-involved women (i.e., courts, jails, or prisons).

Methods

Regression models examined past 90-day cannabis use on unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners, and STIs/HIV among 306 women under NYC community supervision, adjusting for alcohol, other illicit substances, and socio-demographics.

Results

Cannabis use, but not alcohol or other illicit substance use, was positively associated with having unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners, but not STIs or HIV.

Conclusions

Criminal justice-involved women may benefit from sexual risk reduction interventions incorporating cannabis content.

Keywords:

• cannabis
• sexual risk behavior
• criminal justice

Acknowledgements

We want to thank the women who participated in this study, as well as the community supervision sites that hosted the WORTH intervention study. We also want to thank the case managers and research assistants who facilitated project WORTH.

Human Participation Protection

Institutional review boards at Columbia University and the Center for Court Innovation approved study protocols prior to implementation of project WORTH. Written informed consent from participants was obtained.

Additional information

Funding

Project WORTH was funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse to Nabila El-Bassel (grant R01DA025878). MNS and KH are supported by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (grant T32DA037801).