Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Patterns of Drug Use and Drug-related Hospital Admissions in HIV-Positive and -Negative Gay and Bisexual Men

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
AIDS and Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We aimed to compare rates of illicit drug-related hospitalisations in HIV-negative (HIV−ve) (n = 1325) and HIV-positive (HIV+ve) (n = 557) gay and bisexual men (GBM) with rates seen in the general male population and to examine the association between self-reported illicit drug use and drug-related hospitalisation. Participants were asked how often they used a range of illicit drugs in the previous 6 months at annual interviews. Drug-related hospital admissions were defined as hospital admissions for mental or behavioural disorders due to illicit drug use (ICD 10: F11–16, F18, F19), drug poisoning (T40–T45, T50) or toxic effect of gases (T53, T59, T65). Drug-related hospitalisations were 4.8 times higher in the HIV−ve cohort [SIR 4.75 (95 % CI 3.30–6.91)] and 3.5 times higher in the HIV+ve cohort [SIR 3.51 (1.92–5.88)] compared with the general population. Periods of weekly drug use [IRR 1.86 (1.01–3.46)], poly-drug use [IRR 2.17 (1.07–4.38)] and cannabis use [low use-IRR 1.95 (1.01–3.77), high use-IRR 2.58 (1.29–5.16)] were associated with drug-related hospitalisation in both cohorts, as was being a consistently high meth/amphetamine user throughout follow-up [IRR 3.24 (1.07–9.83)] and being an inconsistent or consistent injecting drug user throughout follow-up [IRR 3.94 (1.61–9.66), IRR 4.43(1.04–18.76), respectively]. Other risk factors for drug-related hospitalisation indicated the likelihood of comorbid drug and mental health issues in GBM hospitalised for drug use.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chakraborty A, McManus S, Brugha TS, Bebbington P, King M. Mental health of the non-heterosexual population of England. British J Psychiatry. 2011;198(2):143–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Cochran SD, Ackerman D, Mays VM, Ross MW. Prevalence of non-medical drug use and dependence among homosexually active men and women in the US population. Addiction. 2004;99(8):989–98.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Fredriksen-Goldsen KI, Kim HJ, Barkan SE, Muraco A, Hoy-Ellis CP. Health disparities among lesbian, gay, and bisexual older adults: results from a population-based study. Am J Public Health. 2013;103(10):1802–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Stall R, Wiley J. A comparison of alcohol and drug use patterns of homosexual and heterosexual men: the San Francisco Men’s Health Study. Drug Alcohol Depend. 1988;22(1–2):63–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Welfare AIoHa. National Drugs Strategy Household Surveys (NDSHS) (AIHW): Highlights from the 2013 Survey Canberra: AIHW; 2013 [cited 2014 19/09/2014]. Available from: http://www.aihw.gov.au/.

  6. Holt M, Lee E, Prestage GP, Zablotska I, de Wit J, Mao L. The converging and diverging characteristics of HIV-positive and HIV-negative gay men in the Australian Gay Community Periodic Surveys, 2000-2009. AIDS Care. 2013;25(1):28–37.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Hull P, Mao L, Kao SC, Edwards B, Prestage G, Zablotska I, et al. Gay community periodic survey: Sydney 2013. Sydney: National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Lee E, Mao L, McKenzie T, Batrouney C, West M, Prestage G, et al. Gay community periodic survey: Melbourne 2013. Sydney: National Centre in HIV Social Research, Universtiy of New South Wales; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Lee E, Mao L, Skene H, Cannon R, Narciso L, Prestage G, et al. Gay Community periodic survey: Adelaide 2012. Sydney: National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lee E, Mao L, Watts P, Mackie A, Prestage G, Zablotska I, et al. Gay community periodic survey: Queensland 2013. Sydney: Centre for Social Research in Health, University of New South Wales; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Lee E, Hull P, Mao L, Comfort J, Chanmugam M, Laing S, et al. Gay community periodic survey: Perth 2014. Sydney: Centre for Social REsearch in Health, UNSW Australia; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Methamphetamine use and risk for HIV/AIDS. Atlanta: CDC; 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Bourne A. Drug use among men who have sex with men. Implications for harm reduction. London: Harm Reduction International; 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Lea T, Prestage G, Mao L, Zablotska I, de Wit J, Holt M. Trends in drug use among gay and bisexual men in Sydney, Melbourne and Queensland, Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2013;32(1):39–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Lea T, Mao L, Bath N, Prestage G, Zablotska I, de Wit J, et al. Injecting drug use among gay and bisexual men in Sydney: prevalence and associations with sexual risk practices and HIV and hepatitis C infection. AIDS Behav. 2013;17(4):1344–51.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Colfax G, Vittinghoff E, Husnik MJ, McKirnan D, Buchbinder S, Koblin B, et al. Substance use and sexual risk: a participant- and episode-level analysis among a cohort of men who have sex with men. Am J Epidemiol. 2004;159(10):1002–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Operario D, Choi K-H, Chu P, McFarland W, Secura G, Behel S, et al. Prevalence and correlates of substance use among young asian pacific islander men who have sex with men. Prev Sci. 2006;7(1):19–29.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Daskalopoulou M, Rodger A, Phillips AN, Sherr L, Speakman A, Collins S, et al. Recreational drug use, polydrug use, and sexual behaviour in HIV-diagnosed men who have sex with men in the UK: results from the cross-sectional ASTRA study. Lancet HIV. 2014;1(1):e22–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Lee SJ, Galanter M, Dermatis H, McDowell D. Circuit parties and patterns of drug use in a subset of gay men. J Addict Dis. 2003;22(4):47–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Jones JD, Mogali S, Comer SD. Polydrug abuse: a review of opioid and benzodiazepine combination use. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2012;125(1–2):8–18.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Chen C-Y, Lin K-M. Health consequences of illegal drug use. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2009;22(3):287–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Arendt M, Munk-Jorgensen P, Sher L, Jensen SO. Mortality among individuals with cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine, MDMA, and opioid use disorders: a nationwide follow-up study of Danish substance users in treatment. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2011;114(2–3):134–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Moore TH, Zammit S, Lingford-Hughes A, Barnes TR, Jones PB, Burke M, et al. Cannabis use and risk of psychotic or affective mental health outcomes: a systematic review. Lancet. 2007;370(9584):319–28.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Bakir AA, Dunea G. Drugs of abuse and renal disease. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 1996;5(2):122–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Burgess C, O’Donohoe A, Gill M. Agony and ecstasy: a review of MDMA effects and toxicity. European Psychiatry. 2000;15(5):287–94.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Hill SL, Thomas SH. Clinical toxicology of newer recreational drugs. Clinical Toxicol. 2011;49(8):705–19.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Bukoski WJ. NIDA Research Monograph 107. In: Leukefeld CG, Bukoski WJ, editors. Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research: Methodoloigcal Issues. Rockville: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Prestage G, Degenhardt L, Jin F, Grulich A, Imrie J, Kaldor J, et al. Predictors of frequent use of amphetamine type stimulants among HIV-negative gay men in Sydney. Australia. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2007;91(2–3):260–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Prestage G, Fogarty AS, Rawstorne P, Grierson J, Zablotska I, Grulich A, et al. Use of illicit drugs among gay men living with HIV in Sydney. AIDS. 2007;21(Suppl 1):S49–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Jin F, Prestage GP, Mao L, Kippax SC, Pell CM, Donovan B, et al. Transmission of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in a prospective cohort of HIV-negative gay men: the health in men study. J Infect Dis. 2006;194(5):561–70.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Prestage G, Mao L, Kippax S, Jin F, Hurley M, Grulich A, et al. Use of viral load to negotiate condom use among gay men in Sydney, Australia. AIDS Behav. 2009;13(4):645–51.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Mao L, Van De Ven PG, Prestage G, Jin F, Grulich AE, Crawford J, et al. Health in men. Baseline data UNSW. Sydney: National centre in HIV Social Research; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Prestage G, Song A, Grierson J, Race K, Grulich A, Kippax S. Positive health: method and sample 1998–1999. Sydney: National Centre in HIV Social Research; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Prestage G, Kippax SC, Grulich AE, Race K, Grierson JW, Song A. Positive health: method and sample. Sydney: University of NSW; 2001.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Jaro MA. Probabilistic linkage of large public health data files. Stat Med. 1995;14(5–7):491–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. National Hospital Morbidity Database 2011/12, Principal Dianosis. In: AIHW, editor. Canberaa2013.

  37. Stukel TA, Glynn RJ, Fisher ES, Sharp SM, Lu-Yao G, Wennberg JE. Standardized rates of recurrent outcomes. Stat Med. 1994;13(17):1781–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Colfax G, Coates TJ, Husnik MJ, Huang Y, Buchbinder S, Koblin B, et al. Longitudinal patterns of methamphetamine, popper (amyl nitrite), and cocaine use and high-risk sexual behavior among a cohort of san francisco men who have sex with men. J Urban Health. 2005;82(1 Suppl 1):i62–70.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  39. Hunter LJ, Dargan PI, Benzie A, White JA, Wood DM. Recreational drug use in men who have sex with men (MSM) attending UK sexual health services is significantly higher than in non-MSM. Postgrad Med J. 1061;2014(90):133–8.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Wei C, Guadamuz TE, Lim SH, Huang Y, Koe S. Patterns and levels of illicit drug use among men who have sex with men in Asia. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2012;120(1–3):246–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Daskalopoulou M, Rodger A, Thornton A, Phillips A, Sherr L, Gilson R, et al. Sexual behaviour, recreational drug use and hepatitis C co-infection in HIV-diagnosed men who have sex with men in the United Kingdom: results from the ASTRA study. J Int AIDS Soc. 2014;17(4 Suppl 3):19630.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Patterson T, Semple S, Zians J, Strathdee S. Methamphetamine-using HIV-positive men who have sex with men: correlates of polydrug use. J Urban Health. 2005;82(1):i120–6.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  43. Rosenberg ES, Sullivan PS, Dinenno EA, Salazar LF, Sanchez TH. Number of casual male sexual partners and associated factors among men who have sex with men: results from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance system. BMC Public Health. 2011;11:189.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. Zablotska I, Frankland A, Prestage G, Down I, Ryan D. Gay community periodic survey: Sydney, February 2008. Sydney: The University of New South Wales; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Smith AM, Rissel CE, Richters J, Grulich AE, de Visser RO. Sex in Australia: sexual identity, sexual attraction and sexual experience among a representative sample of adults. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2003;27(2):138–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Fendrich M, Mackesy-Amiti ME, Johnson TP. Validity of self-reported substance use in men who have sex with men: comparisons with a general population sample. Ann Epidemiol. 2008;18(10):752–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the participants, the dedicated pH and HIM study teams and the participating doctors and clinics for their contribution to the HIM and pH studies. The authors would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the New South Wales Centre for Health Record Linkage in the conduct of this study. The Kirby Institute and the Centre for Social Research in Health are funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. The Health in Men Cohort study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, a component of the USA Department of Health and Human Services (NIH/NIAID/DAIDS: HVDDT Award N01-AI-05395), the National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia (Project Grant #400944), the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (Canberra) and the New South Wales Health Department (Sydney). The Positive Health Cohort study was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (Canberra) and the New South Wales Health Department (Sydney). HFG is also supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Fellowship.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Wallace Wurth Building, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    Cecilia L. Moore, Fengyi Jin, Kathy Petoumenos, Iryna B. Zablotska, I. Mary Poynten, Garrett Prestage, Matthew G. Law, Andrew E. Grulich & Janaki Amin

  2. School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    Heather F. Gidding

  3. Centre for Social Research in Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    Limin Mao

  4. Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

    Garrett Prestage

Authors
  1. Cecilia L. Moore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Heather F. Gidding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fengyi Jin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Limin Mao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Kathy Petoumenos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Iryna B. Zablotska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. I. Mary Poynten
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Garrett Prestage
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Matthew G. Law
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Andrew E. Grulich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Janaki Amin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cecilia L. Moore.

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 5.

Table 5 Comparison of patient characteristics by willingness to consent to record linkage
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Moore, C.L., Gidding, H.F., Jin, F. et al. Patterns of Drug Use and Drug-related Hospital Admissions in HIV-Positive and -Negative Gay and Bisexual Men. AIDS Behav 20, 2372–2386 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1303-3

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1303-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation