Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #106077

Dennis G. Fisher, PhD¹, Grace L. Reynolds, DPA¹, Robert Malow, PhD², Rhonda K. Rosenberg, PhD³, Adi Jaffe, BA¹, and Nisha Farrell, BS². (1) Center for Behavioral Research & Services, California State University, Long Beach, 1090 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90813, 562-495-2330, dfisher@csulb.edu, (2) Robert Stempel School of Public Health/ AIDS Prevention Program, Florida International University, 3000 N.E. 151 Street, ACI-260, North Miami, FL 33181, (3) Research Assistant Professor, Stempel School of Public Health, Florida International University, AIDS Prevention Program, Biscayne Bay Campus, AC1 260, 3000 NE 151st Street, Miami, FL 33181

BACKGROUND: The maturing out of substance abuse has been well documented for both gay and straight men. Until recently, Viagra has been marketed primarily to older men, even though several reports show that Viagra use is unrelated to age. We wanted to investigate different models Viagra use for younger as compared to older men. METHODS: A Los Angeles County sample of 295 men over the age of 42 (old) were compared to 217 men ages of 18 and 42 (young) using NIDA's Risk Behavior Assessment (RBA) and the Designer Drug Trailer (DDT). RESULTS: Multiple logistic models predicting lifetime use of Viagra were constructed separately for the older and younger age groups. The former (old) included: White compared to other races (OR=15.6), Black compared to other races (OR=10.35), Ever used MDMA (OR=4.8), Number of different sex partners in the last 30 days, each partner (OR=1.26), and Consider yourself to be homeless (OR=0.28). The model for the young men included: Ever used Rohypnol (OR=22.3), Ever been told you were HIV infected (OR=7.1), Ever used Ketamine (OR=5.1), White compared to other races (OR=4.75), and Number of different sex partners in the last 30 days, each partner (OR=1.25). CONCLUSIONS: In both the older and younger age group, Viagra is related to high-risk sex. Such a finding requires further exploration of the Viagra-unsafe sex connection. Conventional safe sex interventions may no longer be on message with the concerns of men engaging in perceived recreational behavior.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Describe correlates of Viagra use for older men;
• Describe correlates of Viagra use for younger men;
• Compare and contrast the differences between the descriptions of the younger as compared to the older men's use of Viagra;
• Articulate why the use of Viagra may be a concern for the HIV/AIDS public health community.

Keywords: HIV Risk Behavior, Sexual Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.