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Methamphetamine use, impulsivity, and sexual risk behavior among HIV-positive men who have sex with men

Shirley J Semple1, Jim Zians, Igor Grant

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, La Jolla, CA 92093-0680, USA.

Journal of Addictive Diseases
|November 8, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Impulsivity significantly impacts sexual risk behaviors in HIV-positive men who use methamphetamine (MSM). Interventions targeting impulsivity may reduce unprotected sex among high-intensity meth users.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Behavioral Science
  • HIV/AIDS Research

Background:

  • Methamphetamine use is a significant concern within Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) communities, particularly concerning HIV transmission.
  • Understanding factors that influence sexual risk behavior in this population is crucial for effective prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of impulsivity as a moderator in the relationship between methamphetamine use intensity and sexual risk behaviors among HIV-positive MSM.
  • To identify specific demographic and psychological factors associated with higher impulsivity in this sample.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study analyzing data from HIV-positive meth-using MSM.
  • Multiple regression analyses were employed to assess predictors of unprotected sex and test for interaction effects of impulsivity.

Main Results:

  • Higher impulsivity correlated with lower education, income, employment, psychiatric diagnoses, and increased depression.
  • Methamphetamine use intensity and sexual risk behavior were significantly correlated.
  • Education, meth use intensity, and impulsivity independently predicted unprotected sex. Impulsivity significantly moderated the relationship between meth use intensity and unprotected sex, with the association being strongest in highly impulsive individuals.

Conclusions:

  • Impulsivity plays a critical role in mediating sexual risk behaviors associated with methamphetamine use in HIV-positive MSM.
  • Interventions aimed at reducing impulsivity may be effective in mitigating sexual risk behaviors among high-intensity meth-using HIV-positive MSM.

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