Substance Use and Sexual Risk Differences among Older Bisexual and Gay Men with HIV

• Published in: Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.) D.C.), 2014-07, Vol.40 (3), p.108-115
• Main Authors: Brennan-Ing, Mark, Porter, Kristen E., Seidel, Liz, Karpiak, Stephen E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Addictive behaviors; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Aging (Individuals); Aging - psychology; AIDS; Biological and medical sciences; bisexual; Bisexuality; Bisexuality - psychology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gay; Gays & lesbians; Geriatrics; HIV; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV/AIDS; Homosexuality, Male - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Males; Medical sciences; Men; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; MSM; Narcotics; older adults; Personality. Affectivity; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Sexual Orientation; Sexuality. Sexual behavior; substance use; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Unsafe Sex - psychology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids
• ISSN: 0896-4289; 1940-4026
• DOI: 10.1080/08964289.2014.889069

Bisexual and gay men are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Research typically combines these groups into the category of men who have sex with men, and little is known about between-group differences. HIV-positive populations are aging and have high rates of substance use compared to non-infected peers, while substance use among older adults has increased and is associated with unprotected intercourse. Among a sample of 239 HIV-positive bisexual and gay men aged 50 and older, bisexual men were more likely to report cigarette, cocaine, crack, and heroin use compared with gay men. However, bisexual men were less likely to use crystal meth, club drugs, poppers (nitrate inhalers), and erectile dysfunction (ED) medications compared to gay men. While bisexual men reported lower rates of unprotected sex, logistic regression analysis found that current use of poppers and ED drugs, which were higher among gay men, explained this difference. Implications for education and prevention programs are discussed.