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

Abstract #113798

Michael Fendrich, PhD and Timothy P. Johnson, PhD. Institute for Juvenile Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1747 West Roosevelt, Mail Code 747, Chicago, IL 60608, 312-413-1084, mfendrich@psych.uic.edu

Substance use has been studied extensively as a risk factor for HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM). Most of the data about drug use behavior among MSM has been based on self-reports on surveys which have been previously shown to underestimate drug use in the general population. In addition, with some important and notable exceptions, much of the research on this issue has been generated from convenience samples. Here we report on biological indicators of drug use derived from a multi-stage sample of MSM who participated in an Audio Computer Assisted Self-Interview in the City of Chicago in 2002 -2003. In this sample of 216 men ages 18-55 interviewed in their homes, over 80% participated in either urine or saliva testing or both. Here we report on biological test results based on both an initial screen and a subsequent GC/MS confirmation. Of those participating in both urine and saliva testing (n=146), 25% tested positive for marijuana and 6% tested positive for cocaine. Out of 124 urine samples that were tested using a newly developed procedure for detecting Ketamine, 12% tested positive for this substance. We note a considerable overlap between the findings derived from drug tests and self-reports in this study. Demographic correlates of drug use indicators are presented. Implications of these high rates of drug use for intervention and prevention are discussed

Learning Objectives:

• Those attending this session will learn about the recent trends drug use and other risk behavior among MSM and about the feasibility and use of drug testing in population studies focused on MSM.

Keywords: Gay Men, Substance Abuse

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.