Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Comorbidity among Methamphetamine-Using Men Who have Sex with Men

ABSTRACT

Men who have sex with men (MSM) exhibit elevated rates of mental health and substance use disorder relative to their non-MSM male counterparts. Methamphetamine use in particular has been associated with both neuronal damage and mental health disorders among MSM, and this study reports on the prevalence and comorbidity of DSM-5 mental health and substance use disorders in a sample of methamphetamine-using MSM. From March 2014 through January 2015, 286 methamphetamine-using MSM enrolled in a study to reduce methamphetamine use and sexual risk behaviors. At baseline, participants demonstrated high rates of current major depressive episode (35.8%), antisocial personality disorder (23.9%), suicide risk (23.2%), obsessive-compulsive disorder (23.2%), and social phobia (20.4%), as well as methamphetamine use disorder (89.1%), marijuana use disorder (41.0%), alcohol use disorder (39.6%), cocaine use disorder (30.9%), and inhalants use disorder (15.4%). Analyses revealed significant (p < 0.05) associations between methamphetamine use disorder severity and all listed mental health disorders, as well as between alcohol use disorder and all listed mental health disorders. Mental health disorder prevalence and substance use disorder severity were both elevated, and both methamphetamine and alcohol use disorder severity were associated with increased likelihood of comorbid mental health disorder.

KEYWORDS:

• DSM-5
• mental health disorder
• men who have sex with men
• methamphetamine
• substance use disorder severity

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mitch Metzner, Ph.D., for his work as project director during the implementation of the study.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this study was provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, grant #R01DA035092. Drs. Reback and Swendeman acknowledge additional support from the National Institute of Mental Health (P30 MH58107).