NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE EPIDEMIOLOGIC ...

EPIDEMIOLOGIC TRENDS IN DRUG ABUSE—Panel on Methamphetamine Abuse: NIDA-Supported Research Studies
and highly educated (mean years of schooling=14.7).
On average, respondents reported a lifetime use of
methamphetamine of 8.3 years. Nearly 38 percent
reported a history of injection drug use, and 60.5 percent
were HIV-infected.
Interventions
Following screening, participants were randomly
assigned to one of four treatment conditions: contingency
management (CM), cognitive behavioral therapy
(CBT), CM + CBT, and gay-specific CBT
(GCBT). The first three interventions targeted only
drug use, and no instructions were given regarding
sexual risk behaviors. The GCBT integrated the standard
CBT with referents to cultural norms and values
of an urban gay lifestyle and an emphasis on HIVrelated
issues. Treatment was scheduled for a 16-
week duration. Groups met for 90 minutes, three
evenings each week. Nearly 59 percent of the sample
completed the 16-week intervention to which they
were assigned.
Data Collection
Quantitative data were obtained from all participants
at baseline, at 16 weeks, at 6 months, and at 1 year
following treatment initiation. In addition to the
Admission Form that collected demographic, substance
use, treatment history, sexual behavior, and
medical and psychiatric background data at baseline,
Exhibit 1. Outcomes by Treatment Condition
Measure
CM
n=42
two other instruments were used: the Substance Use
Inventory and the Behavior Questionnaire–
Amphetamine (BQA). Urinalysis was used to verify
self-reported drug use. Qualitative interviews were
conducted with 34 of the participants at baseline, 16
weeks, and 1 year.
STUDY FINDINGS
At baseline, 85.2 percent of the men responded that
methamphetamine (i.e., “crystal”) use and sex were
integrally connected, and “always” or “often” go together.
Nearly 76 percent reported engaging in sex in
the prior 30 days while high on methamphetamine.
On average, these men had 8.6 unique sexual partners
during that 30-day period. Sex was considered “compulsive”
by 69.1 percent of the participants.
By 1-year followup, the mean number of sexual partners
was significantly lower (2.9, p