Event-level patterns of methamphetamine and poly-drug use among millennial sexual minority men: The P18 Cohort Study.
Richard J Martino, Stephanie Shiau, Kristen D Krause, Perry N Halkitis
Author Information
Richard J Martino: Center for Health, Identity, Behavior, and Prevention Studies (CHIBPS), Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States.
Stephanie Shiau: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States.
Kristen D Krause: Center for Health, Identity, Behavior, and Prevention Studies (CHIBPS), Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States; Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy, Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States.
Perry N Halkitis: Center for Health, Identity, Behavior, and Prevention Studies (CHIBPS), Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States; Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, United States; Department of Urban-Global Health, Rutgers School of Public Health, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States. Electronic address: perry.halkitis@rutgers.edu.
INTRODUCTION: Knowledge on methamphetamine use among a new generation of sexual minority men (SMM) is limited. This study describes the event-level patterns of methamphetamine use and characteristics of methamphetamine users across time among Millennial SMM emerging into adulthood. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in two waves: 2009-2014 (Wave I) and 2014-2019 (Wave II) in the New York City metropolitan area. A total of 600 Millennial SMM ages 18-19 years were recruited for Wave I. A total of 665 SMM ages 22-23 years were recruited for Wave II, of which 41.2% (n = 274) were retained from Wave I. The Timeline Followback assessment was conducted every six months to record event-level drug use in the 30 days prior to the visit. RESULTS: A total of 5.4% of participants of between the ages of 18-27 reported methamphetamine use throughout the study period. The average number of days of methamphetamine use was significantly higher among racial/ethnic minority men in Wave II (F = 4.34, p = 0.0029). We found methamphetamine use occurred more often on weekend days and same-day use of methamphetamine occurred most often with cannabis and gamma-hydroxybutyrate. Usage of methamphetamine was significantly greater among SMM in Wave II who by design were older than Wave I. CONCLUSION: We have identified differences in methamphetamine use by race/ethnicity. Weekend use and poly-drug use were common among methamphetamine-using SMM. Data indicate differential use in the population and that attempts to address this addictive behavior must be linked to other drug use and socialization among young SMM.
