Sex Drugs, Peer Connections, and HIV: Use and Risk Among African-American, Latino, and Multiracial Young Men Who Have Sex with Men in Los Angeles and New York

Abstract

African-American and Latino young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are at high risk for HIV infection. We administered brief intercept surveys (N = 416) at 18 black and Latino gay pride events in Los Angeles and New York in 2006 and 2007. Ordinal logistic regressions were used to model the effects of substance use during sex, peer connectedness, relationship status, and homelessness on condom use. Alcohol use, crystal use, homelessness, and having a primary relationship partner were negatively associated with condom use, while peer connectedness and marijuana use during sex were positively associated with condom use. Implications for service providers and future research are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV
• sexual risk
• condom use
• substance use
• sex drugs
• young MSM
• peer connectedness
• homelessness
• relationship status
• African-American
• Latino
• multiracial

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The research for this article was completed with the support of the Sally Casanova Memorial Awards Program/Mini Grant, CSU-Dominguez Hills Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Program; The Network for AIDS Researchers in Los Angeles Seed Grant Award (1568 G HB020), and the Institute for Community Health Research (a collaboration between Charles R. Drew University, the RAND Corporation and the Los Angeles Department of Public Health) Seed Grant Award #2007 EGB D2235B-APLA and #CH05-LAC-617. The preparation of this manuscript was also supported by Award Number 1R03DA026731-01 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute on Drug Abuse or the National Institutes of Health. We would also like to acknowledge the volunteers and interns at AIDS Project Los Angeles and Gay Men's Health Crisis who helped make this community research possible.

Notes

^aPartnered 1 contrasts outcome condom use categories 1 (Always) versus 2 (Sometimes) and 3 (Never).

^bPartnered 2 contrasts outcome condom use categories 1 (Always) and 2 (Sometimes) versus 3 (Never).