Harassment, discrimination, violence, and illicit drug use among young men who have sex with men

AIDS Educ Prev. 2010 Aug;22(4):286-98. doi: 10.1521/aeap.2010.22.4.286.

Abstract

We examined the relationship among social discrimination, violence, and illicit drug use among an ethnically diverse cohort of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) residing in Los Angeles. Five Hundred twenty-six YMSM (aged 18-24 years) were recruited using a venue-based, stratified probability sampling design. Surveys assessed childhood financial hardship, violence (physical assault, sexual assault, intimate partner violence), social discrimination (homophobia and racism), and illicit drug use in the past 3 months. Analyses examined main and interaction effects of key variables on drug use. Experiences of financial hardship, physical intimate partner violence and homophobia predicted drug use. Although African American participants were less likely to report drug use than their Caucasian peers, those who experienced greater sexual racism were at significantly greater risk for drug use. Racial/ethnic minority YMSM were at increased risk for experiencing various forms of social discrimination and violence that place them at increased risk for drug use.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / psychology
  • Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / statistics & numerical data
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Black or African American
  • Cohort Studies
  • Comorbidity
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology*
  • HIV Infections / ethnology
  • HIV Infections / prevention & control
  • Hispanic or Latino
  • Homosexuality, Male / ethnology
  • Homosexuality, Male / psychology
  • Homosexuality, Male / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Los Angeles / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Poverty
  • Prejudice*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / ethnology
  • Violence / ethnology
  • Violence / psychology
  • Violence / statistics & numerical data*
  • White People
  • Young Adult