A Study of the Longitudinal Patterns of Stimulant and Amyl Nitrite Use and Sexual Behavior Pre- and Post-HIV Seroconversion Among MSM

This study assessed changes in stimulant/nitrite use and risky sexual behavior among seroconverting MSM over time. Data were collected in the Baltimore-Washington, DC; Pittsburgh; Chicago; and Los Angeles sites of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), a longitudinal study of the natural history of HIV infection among MSM. We used propensity scores to select 1044 MSM from 7087 MACS participants composed of 348 seroconverting, 348 seronegative, and 348 seroprevalent participants matched on demographics, recruitment cohort, and study visits. We centered up to four-years of semi-annual data around the seroconversion visit of the seroconverting case within each matched group of participants. Mixed effects regressions estimated the effects of serostatus, recruitment cohort, and time on self-reported stimulant/nitrite use, numbers of male intercourse partners, and numbers of unprotected receptive anal intercourse (URAI) partners. Covariates included demographics, binge drinking, and marijuana use. Seroconverters had the highest odds of stimulant/inhaled nitrite use (AOR 10.3, CI 4.8 –22.0), incident rates of intercourse (IRR 1.6, CI 1.3–2.1), and URAI partners (IRR 5.1, CI 3.5–7.3). All participants decreased drug use and sexual risk behavior over time. However, the decreases were largest for seroconverters who nevertheless maintained the highest rates of stimulant/nitrit e use and sexual risk. Cohort-related effects were associated with sharp reductions in stimulant/nitri...
Source: AIDS and Behavior - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research