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TRUE OR FALSE? METH USE AMONG NYC GAY MEN IS DECREASING.
ANSWER: TRUE
This information comes from a study that CHEST conducts once a year at the Gay Life Expo and Gay Erotic Expo in NYC. Our researchers approach patrons and ask them to fill out a brief survey in exchange for a pair of movie passes. As part of the survey, gay and bisexual men were asked whether they had had used each of a series of drugs (including cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, GHB, ketamine) in the past three months. We repeated the same questions over six years, from 2002 through 2007. In 2002, 9% of gay and bisexual men reported using meth. This number went up to over 12% in 2003, but has declined steadily each year since, and in 2007, only 3% of gay and bisexual men in NYC reported recent meth use. Rates of ectasy, GHB, and ketamine use have also been declining over this time period, but rates of recent cocaine use have remained relatively stable (around 10%). To learn more about the potential risks associated with club drug use, click here.
We are particularly interested in patterns of substance use because research shows that drug use is often associated with risky sexual behavior that can transmit HIV or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Across conducted at CHEST, active substance users are not only more likely to engage in risky behavior when they are drunk or high, they are also less likely to use condoms with casual partners in general. Current studies at CHEST are exploring the links between substance use and risk behavior for both HIV-negative and HIV-positive persons.
Find Out More.YOU CAN READ OUR ARTICLE ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE OVER TIME HERE.
Be a Part of It.LEARN ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN STUDIES ABOUT RISK REDUCTION HERE.
What percentage of gay men in NYC believe their penis is “average”?
ANSWER: 54%
This information comes from a study that CHEST conducts once a year at the Gay Life Expo and Gay Erotic Expo in NYC. Our researchers approach patrons and ask them to fill out a brief survey in exchange for a pair of movie passes. In this study, gay and bisexual men were asked whether they considered their penis to be: below average, average, above average, or way above average. Only 7% of men reported that their penis was “below average” in size, 54% felt their penis was “average,” 32% felt their penis was “above average” and 4% felt that their penis was “way above average.” Sixty-five percent of men said they were “satisfied” with their penis size, and 46% said they had lied to others about the size of their penis.
We were interested in whether perceptions of penis size were associated with HIV risk. There were no differences in men’s reported condom use or number of sexual partners based on their perceived penis size. However, men who reported that their penis’ were above average were more likely to have reported recent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including genital warts, herpes, and Chlamydia/gonorrhea/urinary tract infections. These three types of STI are more easily transmittable than blood-borne viruses such as HIV or Hepatitis, and can be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. For more information about different STIs, click here. We are not sure why this association was found, but it is possible that men with larger penises experience poorer condom fit (i.e. not being able to roll the condom all the way down) or irritation, which might be exposing these men to STIs that are transmitted through skin-to-skin contact. Regardless of penis size, correct condom usage is critical to the prevention of HIV and other STIs. For more information about correct condom usage and fit, click here.
Find Out More. YOU CAN READ OUR ARTICLE IN THE ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR HERE (PDF Document).
Be a Part of It. LEARN ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN OUR HIV PREVENTION STUDIES HERE.
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF HIV+ PEOPLE NEED HELP WITH TREATMENT ADHERENCE?
ANSWER: 100%
Although there are many HIV+ people who are tremendously successful with treatment adherence and almost never miss their meds, our research (and research done by others) consistently shows that everyone needs help keeping their medication schedule on track. Research on the biology of HIV tells us that almost “perfect” adherence (90-95%) is necessary to prevent the virus from replicating or developing drug resistance. For individuals on once-a-day regimens, that means that missing even one pill per week could be a significant problem. For more information about treatment adherence, click here.
CHEST conducted a study to examine the effectiveness of an 8-session intervention program, called Project PLUS (Positive Living through Understanding and Support). Participants were HIV+ individuals who reported difficulty with both medication adherence and alcohol use. Research has shown that substance use – including alcohol use – can make it difficult for individuals to adhere to their medication regimens. We collected information about participants at baseline, gave them the 8-session intervention, and then measured their adherence, viral load, and CD4 count at a 3-month follow-up visit. Participants who had received the intervention showed significant improvement in medication adherence, viral load, and CD4 count at follow-up, compared to those who had received only education about medication adherence and alcohol use. We are currently working with community-based organizations on delivering Project PLUS to their clients. In addition, we have adapted Project PLUS for HIV+ individuals who may have difficulty with substances other than alcohol, and are testing the effects of this new intervention, called ACE (Adherence, Counseling, and Education).
Find Out More. YOU CAN READ OUR ARTICLE ABOUT PROJECT PLUS HERE (PDF Document).
Be a Part of It. LEARN ABOUT PARTICIPATING IN OUR HIV ADHERENCE STUDY (ACE) HERE.
