Relationship of amphetamine and other substance use to unprotected intercourse among young men who have sex with men

Objectives: To analyze temporal trends in drug use and the relationship bet ween drug use before or during sex and unprotected intercourse among a samp le of young gay and bisexual men. Methods: Data were obtained from cross-sectional surveys of 9 annual cohort s. Respondents were 877 13- to 21-year-old gay and bisexual male volunteers . Trends in the use of substances before or during sex were analyzed. Univa riate and multivariate measures of the association between substance use be fore or during sex and unprotected anal intercourse were calculated. Results: Between 1994 and 1997, the use of marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines , and mean scores on a measure of overall drug use severity increased signi ficantly in a sample of young gay and bisexual men. Significant univariate associations were found between drug use before or during sex and unprotect ed anal intercourse for the following substances: alcohol, marijuana, cocai ne, amphetamines, barbiturates, heroin, LSD, volatile nitrites, tranquilize rs, and methaqualone. In multivariate analyses, however, only cocaine use p redicted failure to use condoms during anal intercourse. Conclusion: Although amphetamine and other drug use increased among young g ay and bisexual men, only cocaine use was a significant, independent predic tor of the failure to use condoms during anal intercourse.