Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, California
Background: Methamphetamine (MA) use increased during COVID-19, with men who have sex with men (MSM) exhibiting 3-fold greater use than heterosexual men. Understanding links between reported MA use and COVID-19 prevention behaviors among MSM can inform current transmission risks for HIV, Monkeypox,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772724622000725 |
| _version_ | 1798005531895398400 |
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| author | Joshua M. Cohen Michael J. Li Marjan Javanbakht Pamina M. Gorbach Steven J. Shoptaw |
| author_facet | Joshua M. Cohen Michael J. Li Marjan Javanbakht Pamina M. Gorbach Steven J. Shoptaw |
| author_sort | Joshua M. Cohen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Methamphetamine (MA) use increased during COVID-19, with men who have sex with men (MSM) exhibiting 3-fold greater use than heterosexual men. Understanding links between reported MA use and COVID-19 prevention behaviors among MSM can inform current transmission risks for HIV, Monkeypox, and other infectious diseases. Methods: This study assesses relationships between self-reported pattern of MA use (past six months; past two weeks) and reported COVID-19 preventive behaviors, adjusting for participant characteristics (HIV serostatus, race/ethnicity, employment and housing stability), in a cohort of ethnically diverse MSM in Los Angeles, California, between April 1 and September 30, 2020. Results: Compared to those who reported no MA use, MSM who reported weekly or more MA use in the past six months were significantly less likely to use COVID-19 protective behaviors of physical distancing (61.8% vs. 81.6%; AOR = 0.39, 95% CI [0.19, 0.81]), of avoiding public transportation (34.5% vs. 60.3%; AOR = 0.42, 95% CI [0.21, 0.83]) and of avoiding traveling overall (32.7% vs. 62.6%; AOR = 0.32, 95% CI [0.16, 0.63]). Parallel findings were observed in analyses of past two-week reported MA use and COVID-19 protective behaviors. Conclusion: Findings highlight ways in which reported MA use frequency links with avoidance of reported preventive behaviors for COVID-19 in urban diverse MSM. Findings also provide evidence to guide public health interventions in future outbreaks of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases among MSM. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:40:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-34dc5813976841d89dddf5517dab4d55 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2772-7246 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:40:46Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-34dc5813976841d89dddf5517dab4d552022-12-22T04:23:30ZengElsevierDrug and Alcohol Dependence Reports2772-72462022-12-015100097Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, CaliforniaJoshua M. Cohen0Michael J. Li1Marjan Javanbakht2Pamina M. Gorbach3Steven J. Shoptaw4Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 625 Shadow Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89103, United States; Corresponding author.Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1800, Los Angeles, CA 90024, United StatesDepartment of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles 650 Charles E. Young Dr. South, CHS 41-295, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United StatesDepartment of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles 650 Charles E. Young Dr. South, CHS 41-295, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United StatesCenter for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1800, Los Angeles, CA 90024, United StatesBackground: Methamphetamine (MA) use increased during COVID-19, with men who have sex with men (MSM) exhibiting 3-fold greater use than heterosexual men. Understanding links between reported MA use and COVID-19 prevention behaviors among MSM can inform current transmission risks for HIV, Monkeypox, and other infectious diseases. Methods: This study assesses relationships between self-reported pattern of MA use (past six months; past two weeks) and reported COVID-19 preventive behaviors, adjusting for participant characteristics (HIV serostatus, race/ethnicity, employment and housing stability), in a cohort of ethnically diverse MSM in Los Angeles, California, between April 1 and September 30, 2020. Results: Compared to those who reported no MA use, MSM who reported weekly or more MA use in the past six months were significantly less likely to use COVID-19 protective behaviors of physical distancing (61.8% vs. 81.6%; AOR = 0.39, 95% CI [0.19, 0.81]), of avoiding public transportation (34.5% vs. 60.3%; AOR = 0.42, 95% CI [0.21, 0.83]) and of avoiding traveling overall (32.7% vs. 62.6%; AOR = 0.32, 95% CI [0.16, 0.63]). Parallel findings were observed in analyses of past two-week reported MA use and COVID-19 protective behaviors. Conclusion: Findings highlight ways in which reported MA use frequency links with avoidance of reported preventive behaviors for COVID-19 in urban diverse MSM. Findings also provide evidence to guide public health interventions in future outbreaks of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases among MSM.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772724622000725MethamphetamineCOVID-19MSMHIVSubstance misusePrimary prevention |
| spellingShingle | Joshua M. Cohen Michael J. Li Marjan Javanbakht Pamina M. Gorbach Steven J. Shoptaw Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, California Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports Methamphetamine COVID-19 MSM HIV Substance misuse Primary prevention |
| title | Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, California |
| title_full | Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, California |
| title_fullStr | Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, California |
| title_full_unstemmed | Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, California |
| title_short | Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, California |
| title_sort | methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the covid 19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in los angeles california |
| topic | Methamphetamine COVID-19 MSM HIV Substance misuse Primary prevention |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772724622000725 |
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