Meth and gay men
HIV Diagnosis Linked to Higher Risk of Meth Use in Gay and Bisexual person Men
People assigned male at birth who belong to a sexual or gender minority group were twice as likely to use methamphetamine following an HIV diagnosis, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Methamphetamine use has been a concern for gay and multi-attracted men for decades, said Brian Mustanski, PhD, the study’s lead author and director of the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH) and the Third Coast Center for AIDS Research.
“What we’re really trying to understand is the epidemiology of HIV, substance apply and co-occurring mental health issues and also the chance and protective factors that help us understand why some young men progress these interconnected health issues more than others,” said Mustanski, who is also a professor of Medical Social Sciences.
Because previous research has shown a link between lowered dopamine signaling in HIV and the potential for substance utilize, Mustanski and his collaborators set out to investigate the connection further.
“People living with HIV contain elevated systemic inflammation compared to p
Crystal meth and London gay men – examining the evidence
Last month the medical journal The Lancet published a news movie, describing an increasing number of London gay men who seize methamphetamine (crystal meth), including a significant number who inject it, often at 'chill-outs' and sex parties. There are concerns that use of the drug is associated with unprotected sex, multiple partners and needle sharing, foremost to transmission of HIV, hepatitis C and other sexually transmitted infections.
Concern about the drug is hardly new – it has been an issue in US gay communities since the 1990s. There have been anecdotal reports of use by UK queer men in recent years, with the issue being thoroughly examined by HIV treatment update three years ago.
And, more recently, some have linked alcohol and drug use to the unchanged rate of new HIV infections in UK gay men over the past decade, although there are no data that could back or refute such a claim.
Glossary
odds ratio (OR)
Comparing one group with another, expresses differences in the odds of something happening. An odds ratio above 1 means something is more likely to happen in the group of interest; an odds rati
Drug addiction: getting aide
If you need support for a drug issue, you're entitled to treatment in the same way as anyone else who has a health problem.
There is help available if you want advice and support, or want to cut down or stop.
Where to get help for drugs
A GP may be a good place to start. They can confer your problems with you and help get you into treatment.
They will usually refer you to your local drug service.
If you're not comfortable talking to a GP, you can approach your local drug treatment service yourself.
Visit the Frank website to uncover support near you.
If you're having trouble finding the right sort of aid, call the Frank drugs helpline on 0300 123 6600. They can discuss you through all your options.
Drug treatment
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Your first appointment
At your first appointment for drug treatment, staff will request you about your drug use. They'll also question about your work, family and housing situation.
You may be asked to provide a sample of urine or saliva to ch
The use of budget and potent crystal methamphetamine (meth) is reaching a “crisis point in Canada” and globally, replacing opioids as the drug of selection in some areas.
In media and policy conversations about this drug, one important population is often missed out: Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (herein, referred to as homosexual and queer men).
Used alone or in combination with other substances, the sexualized use of meth is a apply often referred to as “chemsex” or “party n’ play.” It is one of the key drivers of lofty and rising HIV rates and other sexually transmitted infections. And meth leverage can lead to many other negative health outcomes, including depression, anxiety and suicide.
Unfortunately, there are limited options present for gay and queer men who want to quit or reduce their meth consumption. Most sexual health-care services do not extend specialized substance utilize services. Similarly, conventional substance use services do not evaluate how a patient’s sexuality or sexual behaviour may relate to their drug use patterns.
My research team at the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use recently published a systematic review offering compelling evide