Moderating Effect of Age on the Association Between Alcohol Use and Sexual Risk in MSM: Evidence for Elevated Risk Among Younger MSM

Overview

Journal AIDS Behav

Specialty Infectious Diseases

Date 2013 Apr 5

PMID 23553348

Citations 34

Authors

Michael E Newcomb

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are substantially impacted by HIV/AIDS in the United States. Alcohol use is frequently studied as a predictor of sexual risk in MSM, but findings for this association have been mixed. Developmental differences in this effect may help to explain equivocal findings. 143 MSM (analytic sample 137) ages 16-40 completed weekly diaries of sexual encounters and associated situational factors for 12 weeks. Analyses were conducted with Hierarchical Linear Modeling. Alcohol use before sex was not associated with sexual risk across all participants. Participant age moderated this effect; alcohol use before sex was associated with increased odds of sexual risk in younger MSM only. These analyses expand on previous findings by utilizing a wider age range than most prior studies and adjusting for the effects of several theoretically-selected covariates. Young MSM are an important group to target for addressing alcohol use in the context of sexual behavior.

Citing Articles

Combined Motivational Interviewing and Ecological Momentary Intervention to Reduce Hazardous Alcohol Use Among Sexual Minority Cisgender Men and Transgender Individuals: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Lauckner C, Takenaka B, Sesenu F, Brown J, Kirklewski S, Nicholson E JMIR Res Protoc. 2024; 13:e55166.

PMID: 38578673 PMC: 11031694. DOI: 10.2196/55166.

Age Differences in the Associations Between Incarceration and Subsequent Substance Use, Sexual Risk-Taking, and Incident STI Among Black Sexual Minority Men and Black Transgender Women in the HIV Prevention Trials 061 Cohort.

Feelemyer J, Abrams J, Mazumdar M, Irvine N, Scheidell J, Turpin R Am J Mens Health. 2023; 17(6):15579883231204120.

PMID: 37942721 PMC: 10637158. DOI: 10.1177/15579883231204120.

Interventions to Reduce Alcohol Use and HIV Risk among Sexual and Gender Minority Populations: a Systematic Review.

Lauckner C, Haney K, Sesenu F, Kershaw T Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2023; 20(4):231-250.

PMID: 37225923 PMC: 10436179. DOI: 10.1007/s11904-023-00660-2.

The Relationship Between Alcohol and Drug Use, Compulsive Sexual Behavior, and Condomless Anal Sex in Men Who have Sex with Men: Analysis of Retrospectively-Reported Sexual Behavior.

Gleason N, Smith G, Canning J, George W, Larimer M, Jennings T AIDS Behav. 2023; 27(7):2317-2327.

PMID: 36633765 PMC: 10399619. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-022-03961-6.

Substance Use and Sexual Risk Behavior Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in New York City: Evidence for Increased Risk During Young Adulthood.

Aivadyan C, Lee Y, El-Bassel N, Wu E AIDS Educ Prev. 2021; 33(1):73-87.

PMID: 33617320 PMC: 7905783. DOI: 10.1521/aeap.2021.33.1.73.

References

Clutterbuck D, Gorman D, McMillan A, Lewis R, Macintyre C . Substance use and unsafe sex amongst homosexual men in Edinburgh. AIDS Care. 2001; 13(4):527-35. DOI: 10.1080/09540120120058058. View

Mustanski B . Moderating effects of age on the alcohol and sexual risk taking association: an online daily diary study of men who have sex with men. AIDS Behav. 2007; 12(1):118-26. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-007-9335-3. View

Newcomb M, Clerkin E, Mustanski B . Sensation seeking moderates the effects of alcohol and drug use prior to sex on sexual risk in young men who have sex with men. AIDS Behav. 2010; 15(3):565-75. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-010-9832-7. View

Garofalo R, Wolf R, Kessel S, Palfrey S, DuRant R . The association between health risk behaviors and sexual orientation among a school-based sample of adolescents. Pediatrics. 1998; 101(5):895-902. DOI: 10.1542/peds.101.5.895. View

Marshal M, Friedman M, Stall R, Thompson A . Individual trajectories of substance use in lesbian, gay and bisexual youth and heterosexual youth. Addiction. 2009; 104(6):974-81. PMC: 3649139. DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02531.x. View

Marshal M, Friedman M, Stall R, King K, Miles J, Gold M . Sexual orientation and adolescent substance use: a meta-analysis and methodological review. Addiction. 2008; 103(4):546-56. PMC: 2680081. DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02149.x. View

McKirnan D, Ostrow D, Hope B . Sex, drugs and escape: a psychological model of HIV-risk sexual behaviours. AIDS Care. 1996; 8(6):655-69. DOI: 10.1080/09540129650125371. View

Stephenson M, Velez L, Chalela P, Ramirez A, Hoyle R . The reliability and validity of the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS-8) with young adult Latino workers: implications for tobacco and alcohol disparity research. Addiction. 2007; 102 Suppl 2:79-91. PMC: 2766587. DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.01958.x. View

Cooper M . Alcohol use and risky sexual behavior among college students and youth: evaluating the evidence. J Stud Alcohol Suppl. 2002; (14):101-17. DOI: 10.15288/jsas.2002.s14.101. View

10.

Vosburgh H, Mansergh G, Sullivan P, Purcell D . A review of the literature on event-level substance use and sexual risk behavior among men who have sex with men. AIDS Behav. 2012; 16(6):1394-410. DOI: 10.1007/s10461-011-0131-8. View

11.

Crone E, Bullens L, van der Plas E, Kijkuit E, Zelazo P . Developmental changes and individual differences in risk and perspective taking in adolescence. Dev Psychopathol. 2008; 20(4):1213-29. DOI: 10.1017/S0954579408000588. View

12.

Dunn L, Jeste D . Enhancing informed consent for research and treatment. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2001; 24(6):595-607. DOI: 10.1016/S0893-133X(00)00218-9. View

13.

Cohn L, Macfarlane S, Yanez C, Imai W . Risk-perception: differences between adolescents and adults. Health Psychol. 1995; 14(3):217-22. DOI: 10.1037//0278-6133.14.3.217. View

14.

Brook D, Brook J, Zhang C, Cohen P, Whiteman M . Drug use and the risk of major depressive disorder, alcohol dependence, and substance use disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2002; 59(11):1039-44. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.59.11.1039. View

15.

Hatzenbuehler M, Corbin W, Fromme K . Trajectories and determinants of alcohol use among LGB young adults and their heterosexual peers: results from a prospective study. Dev Psychol. 2008; 44(1):81-90. PMC: 3039602. DOI: 10.1037/0012-1649.44.1.81. View

16.

Dudley M, Rostosky S, Korfhage B, Zimmerman R . Correlates of high-risk sexual behavior among young men who have sex with men. AIDS Educ Prev. 2004; 16(4):328-40. DOI: 10.1521/aeap.16.4.328.40397. View

17.

McGue M, Iacono W, Legrand L, Elkins I . Origins and consequences of age at first drink. II. Familial risk and heritability. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2001; 25(8):1166-73. View

18.

Stall R, Mills T, Williamson J, Hart T, Greenwood G, Paul J . Association of co-occurring psychosocial health problems and increased vulnerability to HIV/AIDS among urban men who have sex with men. Am J Public Health. 2003; 93(6):939-42. PMC: 1447874. DOI: 10.2105/ajph.93.6.939. View

19.

Steele C, Josephs R . Alcohol myopia. Its prized and dangerous effects. Am Psychol. 1990; 45(8):921-33. DOI: 10.1037//0003-066x.45.8.921. View

20.

Mustanski B, Newcomb M, Du Bois S, Garcia S, Grov C . HIV in young men who have sex with men: a review of epidemiology, risk and protective factors, and interventions. J Sex Res. 2011; 48(2-3):218-53. PMC: 3351087. DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2011.558645. View