Does sexuality matter? A cross-sectional study of drug use, social injecting, and access to injection-specific care among men who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia
Abstract Background Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are overrepresented in cohorts of people who inject drugs. GBMSM’s substance use is usually explored in the context of its contribution to sexual risk. We examined drug use practices, connectedness to other people who inje...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Harm Reduction Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-023-00737-6 |
| _version_ | 1811175940310433792 |
|---|---|
| author | Sophia E. Schroeder A. L. Wilkinson D. O’Keefe A. Bourne J. S. Doyle M. Hellard P. Dietze A. Pedrana |
| author_facet | Sophia E. Schroeder A. L. Wilkinson D. O’Keefe A. Bourne J. S. Doyle M. Hellard P. Dietze A. Pedrana |
| author_sort | Sophia E. Schroeder |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are overrepresented in cohorts of people who inject drugs. GBMSM’s substance use is usually explored in the context of its contribution to sexual risk. We examined drug use practices, connectedness to other people who inject drugs, peer-to-peer injecting, and access to care among men who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia. We aim to describe similarities and differences in these parameters for GBMSM and other men. Methods Data were drawn from a prospective cohort study of people who inject drugs conducted in Melbourne, Australia, since 2009. This cross-sectional study used data collected between 2016 and 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to assess differences between GBMSM and other men. Results Of 525 men who injected drugs over the study period, 48 (9%) identified as gay or bisexual, or reported sex with other men in the past 12 months. GBMSM and other men reported similar socio-demographics, drug practices (age of injecting initiation, most injected drug, peer-to-peer injecting, receptive syringe sharing) and access to injecting-specific care (drug treatment, source of needle-syringes). A significantly greater percentage of GBMSM reported past 12-month hepatitis C testing (69% vs. 52%, p = 0.028) and preferring methamphetamine (31% vs. 16%, p = 0.022). A higher percentage of GBMSM reported knowing > 50 other people who inject drugs (46% vs. 37%), but this difference was not statistically significant. Both groups primarily obtained injecting equipment from needle-syringe programs; a minority had accessed injecting-specific primary care. Conclusion Men who injected drugs in this cohort and those who identified as GBMSM reported similar drug and health-seeking practices. The higher prevalence of methamphetamine injecting among GBMSM may warrant different harm reduction support for this group. Health promotion should utilise opportunities to connect men who inject drugs in Melbourne to injecting-specific primary health care. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:44:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-67b3c03723d84fe68a2258092e151632 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1477-7517 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:44:08Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Harm Reduction Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-67b3c03723d84fe68a2258092e1516322023-01-29T12:08:03ZengBMCHarm Reduction Journal1477-75172023-01-0120111310.1186/s12954-023-00737-6Does sexuality matter? A cross-sectional study of drug use, social injecting, and access to injection-specific care among men who inject drugs in Melbourne, AustraliaSophia E. Schroeder0A. L. Wilkinson1D. O’Keefe2A. Bourne3J. S. Doyle4M. Hellard5P. Dietze6A. Pedrana7Disease Elimination Program, Burnet InstituteDisease Elimination Program, Burnet InstituteDisease Elimination Program, Burnet InstituteAustralian Research Centre for Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe UniversityDisease Elimination Program, Burnet InstituteDisease Elimination Program, Burnet InstituteDisease Elimination Program, Burnet InstituteDisease Elimination Program, Burnet InstituteAbstract Background Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are overrepresented in cohorts of people who inject drugs. GBMSM’s substance use is usually explored in the context of its contribution to sexual risk. We examined drug use practices, connectedness to other people who inject drugs, peer-to-peer injecting, and access to care among men who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia. We aim to describe similarities and differences in these parameters for GBMSM and other men. Methods Data were drawn from a prospective cohort study of people who inject drugs conducted in Melbourne, Australia, since 2009. This cross-sectional study used data collected between 2016 and 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to assess differences between GBMSM and other men. Results Of 525 men who injected drugs over the study period, 48 (9%) identified as gay or bisexual, or reported sex with other men in the past 12 months. GBMSM and other men reported similar socio-demographics, drug practices (age of injecting initiation, most injected drug, peer-to-peer injecting, receptive syringe sharing) and access to injecting-specific care (drug treatment, source of needle-syringes). A significantly greater percentage of GBMSM reported past 12-month hepatitis C testing (69% vs. 52%, p = 0.028) and preferring methamphetamine (31% vs. 16%, p = 0.022). A higher percentage of GBMSM reported knowing > 50 other people who inject drugs (46% vs. 37%), but this difference was not statistically significant. Both groups primarily obtained injecting equipment from needle-syringe programs; a minority had accessed injecting-specific primary care. Conclusion Men who injected drugs in this cohort and those who identified as GBMSM reported similar drug and health-seeking practices. The higher prevalence of methamphetamine injecting among GBMSM may warrant different harm reduction support for this group. Health promotion should utilise opportunities to connect men who inject drugs in Melbourne to injecting-specific primary health care.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-023-00737-6Sexual minority menInjection drug usePeople who inject drugsInjecting practicesSexuality and sociability |
| spellingShingle | Sophia E. Schroeder A. L. Wilkinson D. O’Keefe A. Bourne J. S. Doyle M. Hellard P. Dietze A. Pedrana Does sexuality matter? A cross-sectional study of drug use, social injecting, and access to injection-specific care among men who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia Harm Reduction Journal Sexual minority men Injection drug use People who inject drugs Injecting practices Sexuality and sociability |
| title | Does sexuality matter? A cross-sectional study of drug use, social injecting, and access to injection-specific care among men who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia |
| title_full | Does sexuality matter? A cross-sectional study of drug use, social injecting, and access to injection-specific care among men who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia |
| title_fullStr | Does sexuality matter? A cross-sectional study of drug use, social injecting, and access to injection-specific care among men who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does sexuality matter? A cross-sectional study of drug use, social injecting, and access to injection-specific care among men who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia |
| title_short | Does sexuality matter? A cross-sectional study of drug use, social injecting, and access to injection-specific care among men who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia |
| title_sort | does sexuality matter a cross sectional study of drug use social injecting and access to injection specific care among men who inject drugs in melbourne australia |
| topic | Sexual minority men Injection drug use People who inject drugs Injecting practices Sexuality and sociability |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-023-00737-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sophiaeschroeder doessexualitymatteracrosssectionalstudyofdrugusesocialinjectingandaccesstoinjectionspecificcareamongmenwhoinjectdrugsinmelbourneaustralia AT alwilkinson doessexualitymatteracrosssectionalstudyofdrugusesocialinjectingandaccesstoinjectionspecificcareamongmenwhoinjectdrugsinmelbourneaustralia AT dokeefe doessexualitymatteracrosssectionalstudyofdrugusesocialinjectingandaccesstoinjectionspecificcareamongmenwhoinjectdrugsinmelbourneaustralia AT abourne doessexualitymatteracrosssectionalstudyofdrugusesocialinjectingandaccesstoinjectionspecificcareamongmenwhoinjectdrugsinmelbourneaustralia AT jsdoyle doessexualitymatteracrosssectionalstudyofdrugusesocialinjectingandaccesstoinjectionspecificcareamongmenwhoinjectdrugsinmelbourneaustralia AT mhellard doessexualitymatteracrosssectionalstudyofdrugusesocialinjectingandaccesstoinjectionspecificcareamongmenwhoinjectdrugsinmelbourneaustralia AT pdietze doessexualitymatteracrosssectionalstudyofdrugusesocialinjectingandaccesstoinjectionspecificcareamongmenwhoinjectdrugsinmelbourneaustralia AT apedrana doessexualitymatteracrosssectionalstudyofdrugusesocialinjectingandaccesstoinjectionspecificcareamongmenwhoinjectdrugsinmelbourneaustralia |