Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome/human immunodeficiency virus risk behavior among gay men in small cities. Findings of a 16-city national sample.

BACKGROUND: Most research on acquired immunodeficiency syndrome has been conducted in several of the country's largest cities, and little is known about the current level of human immunodeficiency virus risk taking among gay men in other geographical areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of risk behavior practices among gay men in smaller communities. METHOD: A large sample of men who patronized gay bars in 16 small and moderate-size cities drawn from six states in four different regions of the country was surveyed to determine the frequency of high-risk behavior and factors influencing risk taking. Eighty-five percent of men in all cities' bars completed all survey measures. The community samples were 1991 men; mean age, 31.3 years; mean education, 10.6 years; 90% were white and 10% were of other ethnicities. All participants provided detailed information on their sexual behavior practices over the preceding 2 months and completed measures assessing their perceived peer norms concerning safer sex practices and risk avoidance, intentions to avoid risk, personal risk estimation, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome risk knowledge, perceived threat of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome/human immunodeficiency virus, and serostatus testing history. RESULTS: High-risk patterns were still common among gay men in these smaller cities; nearly one third of all men had engaged in unprotected anal intercourse an average of eight times in the past 2 months, usually outside monogamous relationships. High-risk behavior was most strongly associated with beliefs that safer sex practices would not be well accepted by peers, weak intentions to use condoms, underestimation of personal vulnerability to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, younger age, and higher levels of overall sexual activity. Nine percent of men tested said they were seropositive. CONCLUSIONS: Growing human immunodeficiency virus prevalence and continued high rates of risk behavior indicate that a new "front line" for human immunodeficiency virus prevention among homosexually active men has shifted to the country's smaller cities. Community prevention efforts in these areas are urgently needed to avert sharp increases in future human immunodeficiency virus infections in this population.

High risk sexual behavior and alcohol consumption among bar-going gay men.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether alcohol use prior to sexual behavior influenced the occurrence of unprotected anal intercourse among bar-going gay men. METHODS: Anonymous AIDS behavioral risk surveys were administered to men entering gay bars in 16 cities on three nights in February 1993 in six states in the United States. RESULTS: Of the 1519 men who completed the survey, 85% were current alcohol drinkers. Men who had unprotected anal intercourse after consuming alcohol drank more and reported more incidents of unprotected anal intercourse than men who had unprotected anal intercourse but not after drinking. Overall, unprotected anal intercourse occurred less frequently after alcohol consumption than without prior consumption. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that heavy alcohol use and frequent high-risk sexual behavior occurred among the same individuals. However, we found no evidence for a causal link between alcohol use and unprotected sexual behavior in this sample of bar-going gay men.

The Controlled Substances Therapeutic Research Act in the state of Washington.

In March 1979, the Governor of the State of Washington signed legislation establishing a THC/marihuana research program within the Washington State Board of Pharmacy. By November 1980, approximately 80 physicians had enrolled more than 400 patients on the chemotherapy protocol which randomly assigned subjects to receive either THC and prochlorperazine or THC and placebo. This report describes the process of implementing the legislation, the administrative and clinical roles of project personnel, and the design of three currently operating protocols.

Risk for HIV infection among bisexual men seeking HIV-prevention services and risks posed to their female partners.

The present study interviewed gay (n = 473) and bisexual men (n = 146) as part of an HIV prevention program and investigated social cognitive factors associated with HIV risk. Results indicated that HIV risk in homosexual men was associated with sexual openness and connections to gay communities, factors not associated with risk for bisexual men. Compared with men at lower risk, those who practiced high-risk sex scored lower on measures of perceived safer sex norms, safer sex self-efficacy, and social skills. Bisexual men with primary female partners often had not disclosed their bisexuality to female partners (75%), and 64% had not modified their behavior to protect female partners. Bisexual men who engage in high-risk behaviors therefore pose a risk to female partners who may be unaware of their involvement with men.

Comparison of extended versus brief treatments for marijuana use.

Adult marijuana users (N = 291) seeking treatment were randomly assigned to an extended 14-session cognitive-behavioral group treatment (relapse prevention support group; RPSG), a brief 2-session individual treatment using motivational interviewing (individualized assessment and intervention; IAI), or a 4-month delayed treatment control (DTC) condition. Results indicated that marijuana use, dependence symptoms, and negative consequences were reduced significantly in relation to pretreatment levels at 1-, 4-, 7-, 13-, and 16-month follow-ups. Participants in the RPSG and IAI treatments showed significantly and substantially greater improvement than DTC participants at the 4-month follow-up. There were no significant differences between RPSG and IAI outcomes at any follow-up. The relative efficacy of brief versus extended interventions for chronic marijuana-using adults is discussed.

Adult marijuana users seeking treatment.

In an effort to study the efficacy of attracting and intervening with adult marijuana users, 290 men and 92 women were screened for participation in a treatment-outcome study focused on marijuana cessation. The well-educated, self-referred sample reported using marijuana on 79 of the past 90 days before testing. Indices of the severity of marijuana abuse and general psychopathology were in the clinical range for a majority of Ss. Ss who did not report evidence of alcohol or other drug abuse (n = 144) reported less severe consequences of marijuana use and experienced less general psychological distress than Ss who also reported lifetime (n = 165) or current abuse (n = 73) of other substances in addition to marijuana. The findings indicate the need for clinical research targeting adults who are dependent on marijuana.

Treating adult marijuana dependence: a test of the relapse prevention model.

Men (n = 161) and women (n = 51) seeking treatment for marijuana use were randomly assigned to either a relapse prevention (RP; G.A. Marlatt & J.R. Gordon, 1985) or a social support (SSP) group discussion intervention. Data collected for 12 months posttreatment revealed substantial reductions in frequency of marijuana use and associated problems. There were no significant differences between the cognitive-behavioral RP intervention and the SSP group discussion conditions on measures of days of marijuana use, related problems, or abstinence rates. Men in the RP condition were more likely than men in the SSP condition to report reduced use without problems at 3-month follow-up. Posttreatment increases in problems associated with alcohol did not appear to relate to reduced marijuana use. Results are discussed in terms of the need for further research with marijuana-dependent adults and the efficacy of RP.

Self-efficacy and marijuana cessation: a construct validity analysis.

Hypotheses regarding the relationships between self-efficacy for avoiding marijuana use and theoretically related measures were examined in a sample of 161 men and 51 women who sought treatment aimed at marijuana cessation. Theoretically proposed sources of efficacy judgments showed stronger univariate and multivariate relationships with efficacy for avoiding marijuana use after treatment than before treatment. The cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention treatment resulted in marginally greater self-efficacy, compared with a nonbehavioral treatment, but the link between coping skill training and efficacy was ambiguous. Efficacy contributed incrementally to the prediction of posttreatment marijuana use beyond efficacy source variables, but it did not completely mediate the effects of those sources of efficacy judgments. Predictive validity was stronger for frequency of posttreatment marijuana use than for abstinence status. The need for better assessment of the efficacy construct and potential revisions in efficacy theory as applied to substance use are discussed.

Psychological factors that predict AIDS high-risk versus AIDS precautionary behavior.

Men (N = 526) who patronized gay bars in three cities completed measures of sexual behavior covering the previous 3 months and psychological measures theoretically pertinent to AIDS risk. Thirty-seven percent of the sample reported engaging in unprotected anal intercourse, the behavior most strongly associated with transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Perceived peer norms concerning the acceptability of safer sex practices, AIDS health locus of control scores, risk behavior knowledge, age, and accuracy of personal risk estimation, but not personal HIV serostatus knowledge, were associated with high-risk and precaution-taking behavior.

Factors predicting continued high-risk behavior among gay men in small cities: psychological, behavioral, and demographic characteristics related to unsafe sex.

Nearly 6,000 men entering gay bars in 16 small American cities were anonymously surveyed to assess their sexual behavior and to determine predictors of risky sexual practices. Excluding individuals in long-term exclusive relationships, 27% of the men reported engaging in unprotected anal intercourse in the past 2 months. Factors strongly predictive of risk included having a large number of different male partners, estimating oneself to be at greater risk, having weak intentions to use condoms at next intercourse, believing that safer sex is not an expected norm within one's peer reference group, being of younger age, and having less education. These findings indicate that HIV prevention efforts are urgently needed for gay men in smaller cities, with efforts particularly focused on young and less educated men sexually active with multiple partners. Prevention should focus on strengthening intentions to change behavior and on changing social norms to foster safer sex.

College on problems of drug dependence meeting, Puerto Rico (June 1996) marijuana use and dependence.

Discoveries concerning an endogenous cannabinoid system and observations of dramatic increases in marijuana use among youth in the United States have fueled a recent increase in basic and clinical research to better understand and treat marijuana dependence. At the annual meeting of the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (Puerto Rico, 1996) a symposium 'Marijuana Use: Basic Mechanisms, Epidemiology, and Clinical Issues' reviewed a number of important areas of ongoing research that address marijuana dependence. Overviews and original research were presented regarding the development of dependence (preclinical and clinical research), motivational effects (laboratory models), the epidemiology of dependence and its development, clinical management of marijuana use among patients seeking treatment for other drugs of abuse, and treatment for adult marijuana dependence. This paper summarizes the symposium presentations and provides discussion of recent scientific developments concerning marijuana use and dependence.

Relapse prevention as an interventive model for HIV risk reduction in gay and bisexual men.

Despite considerable self-initiated HIV risk reduction among men who have sex with men, little is known about how to design interventions that will effectively assist individuals from this population in maintaining safer sex behaviors over time. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a 17-session group counseling intervention that incorporated components based on a cognitive-behavioral model of relapse. Differential behavioral outcomes following treatment included an increase in the percentage of sexual activities that were protected and a decrease in unprotected oral sex. However, considerable risk reduction (e.g., increased condom use, decreased unprotected sex, and decreases in the number of male partners and in the total number of sexual acts) occurred in both treated and untreated participants. Measures of mediating attitudinal variables drawn from relapse prevention theory largely predicted behavioral changes. Over time, several of the risk reduction behaviors achieved at posttreatment were not maintained, suggesting the importance of further developing effective strategies for supporting behavior change maintenance.

Differences in HIV risk characteristics between bisexual and exclusively gay men.

Research investigating HIV-risk sexual behaviors of men who have sex with men usually combines gay and bisexual men, treating them as a single, homogeneous group. However, gay and bisexual men may differ in their HIV risk behavior and in psychological characteristics indicative of risk. Exclusively gay (N = 1,180) and bisexual men (N = 136) completed anonymous surveys at gay bars. The surveys assessed demographic, psychological, and behavioral data related to sexual behavior and HIV risk. Relative to exclusively gay men, bisexual men had lower intentions to use condoms in their next intercourse occasion, reported a greater frequency of oral sex with men and more oral-sex partners, knew fewer people who were HIV positive, and perceived weaker peer norms favoring safer sex and risk avoidance. One-third of bisexual men reported engaging in unprotected anal intercourse, and 17% of bisexual men had multiple unprotected anal sex partners in the past two months. Interventions tailored to the needs of bisexual men are urgently needed and should focus on increasing intentions to use condoms, increasing HIV-risk sensitization, and fostering norms favoring safer sex and risk avoidance.

Psychosocial differences between recently HIV tested and non-tested gay men who reside in smaller US cities.

While a number of studies have examined behavioural and psychosocial correlates of HIV test seeking, most of this research has relied on samples of urban gay men. Less is known about HIV testing rates and factors associated with testing among gay and bisexual men who live in smaller cities. The present research administered surveys to 3969 non-exclusively partnered gay and bisexual men attending gay bars in small American cities to determine (a) rates of HIV test seeking, and (b) how tested and non-tested men differed on a battery of psychosocial indices. A total of 68% of men had been tested for antibodies to HIV--50% in the past year. Men tested for HIV in the past year, compared to men never tested for HIV, knew more people who were HIV positive or were diagnosed with AIDS, had a closer relationship with someone who had died of AIDS, were more likely to be ethnic minorities, reported more conversations with friends about safer sex, and had stronger intentions to use condoms during their next intercourse occasion. Our results indicate that HIV counselling and testing programmes comprise an important component of HIV prevention efforts assisting gay men residing in smaller USA cities.

Risk behavior for HIV transmission among gay men surveyed in Seattle bars.

Men attending four Seattle gay bars were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire including measures of sexual behavior, perceptions of peer norms in the area of sexual safety, personal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk estimate, and knowledge and use of a variety of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention services. Twenty-nine percent of the sample reported engaging in unprotected anal intercourse at least once during the 2 months before the survey. Differences in peer norm perceptions, age, HIV risk estimate, and intent to be sexually safe in the future were found between those engaging in unprotected anal intercourse and those not reporting unprotected anal intercourse. No significant differences were found in level of education, use of AIDS prevention services, and whether or not a person had been tested for HIV. Implications for prevention programs are discussed.

Continuing unsafe sex: assessing the need for AIDS prevention counseling.

To assess the need for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention counseling for gay and bisexual men who were continuing to engage in unsafe sex, a nonprobability telephone survey--the data may not be generalizable to the population--was conducted in Seattle during March 1987. In a 4-week period, 141 callers phoned in response to local publicity and completed a 30-minute anonymous interview. This paper focuses on 106 male respondents who were behaviorally defined as gay (that is, sex during the past year exclusively with partners of the same sex, N = 74) or bisexual (sex with both men and women, N = 32). The modal respondent was a never-married white male in his thirties who had some college education and was employed full-time in a white collar occupation. The gay men were more likely than the bisexual men to report that their family members and friends knew of their sexual orientation and to indicate that they were able to discuss their concerns about unsafe sex with someone close to them. Gay men were also more likely to use condoms and to have engaged in anonymous sex during the 3 months before the interview. More gay men had engaged in unprotected receptive anal intercourse (27 percent) than had bisexual men (13 percent), and in considerably more insertive anal intercourse (42 percent versus 22 percent). Of the gay men interviewed, 73 percent indicated that they needed help in changing their high-risk sexual behaviors compared with 61 percent of bisexuals. However, respondent preferences for the context of counseling (for example, sexual preference of the counselor,group versus individual counseling, type of agency) differed on the basis of the respondent's self definition of sexual preference. Bisexual men expressed a preference for individual therapy delivered by a private practitioner who is a heterosexual. The authors conclude that men who are at risk of AIDS due to ongoing unsafe sex will require a diversity of counseling options.

Lesbian and bisexual women in small cities--at risk for HIV? HIV Prevention Community Collaborative.

Objectives.Women who have sex with women are a relatively hidden group that has been overlooked in most AIDS research and prevention efforts, primarily because the efficiency of HIV transmission between female partners is believed to be low. Although data are scant, it is commonly assumed that members of this population are not at high risk for HIV infection. However, a recent study of lesbian and bisexual women living in the San Francisco Bay area reported a relatively high seroprevalence rate and has raised additional questions about this group's HIV risk. The present study, the first to focus on lesbian and bisexual women living outside major AIDS epicenters, provides additional evidence. It describes risk factors for HIV transmission among lesbian and bisexual women living in small cities in four geographic regions of the United States.Methods.On three consecutive evenings in 1992, members of the research team distributed anonymous structured written surveys to women patrons as they entered gay bars in each of 16 small cities.Results.Almost 17% of bisexual respondents and 0.5% of lesbians reported having had unprotected vaginal or anal sex with a male during the two months prior to the survey. Almost 10 percent of bisexual women and 8.8% of lesbians in the sample reported a history of injection drug use. Among those women surveyed who said they had been tested, 1.4% reported they were infected with HIV.Conclusions.Self-identified sexual orientation was highly consistent with recent sexual behavior. HIV risk related to sexual behavior was concentrated among self-identified bisexual women. The prevalence of injection drug use was substantial among both bisexual and lesbians. Developers of HIV risk behavior programs should take the prevalence of these risk behaviors into consideration in the design of effective HIV prevention interventions tailored to the needs of this hidden population.

Levels and predictors of HIV risk behavior among women in low-income public housing developments.

The prevalence of increases in human immunodeficiency virus infection and illness rates among urban disadvantaged women underscore the urgent need for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome prevention interventions for high-risk women. Few studies, however, have examined the factors contributing to risk in this population or predictors of risk taking and risk reduction. A total of 148 women, most of them of racial minorities, living in low-income public housing developments completed measures designed to assess risk for human immunodeficiency virus infection and to analyze factors related to risk taking, including knowledge about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, behavior change self-efficacy, intention to use condoms, and social norm perception about safer sex practices. History of sexually transmitted diseases, low rates of condom use, and relationships with men who were injection drug users or who were not sexually exclusive were commonly reported. Women were divided into high- or low-risk categories based on behavior during the two preceding months. Women at low risk believed more strongly in personal efficacy of behavior change, were more committed to using condoms, and perceived risk reduction steps as more socially normative than high-risk women. Culturally tailored human immunodeficiency virus prevention interventions that address these dimensions are needed.

A randomized controlled trial of brief cognitive-behavioral interventions for cannabis use disorder.

The increasing demand for treatment for cannabis dependence in Australia and internationally has led to the identification of significant gaps in knowledge of effective interventions. A randomized controlled trial of brief cognitive-behavioral interventions (CBT) for cannabis dependence was undertaken to address this issue. A total of 229 participants were assessed and randomly assigned to either a six-session CBT program (6CBT), a single-session CBT intervention (1CBT), or a delayed-treatment control (DTC) group. Participants were assisted in acquiring skills to promote cannabis cessation and maintenance of abstinence. Participants were followed-up a median of 237 days after last attendance. Participants in the treatment groups reported better treatment outcomes than the DTC group. They were more likely to report abstinence, were significantly less concerned about their control over cannabis use, and reported significantly fewer cannabis-related problems than those in the DTC group. Those in the 6CBT group also reported more significantly reduced levels of cannabis consumption than the DTC group. While the therapist variable had no effect on any outcome, a secondary analysis of the 6CBT and 1CBT groups showed that treatment compliance was significantly associated with decreased dependence and cannabis-related problems. This study supports the attractiveness and effectiveness of individual CBT interventions for cannabis use disorders and the need for multisite replication trials.

Testing the abstinence violation effect construct with marijuana cessation.

It has been proposed that internal, stable, and global attributions for the cause of a lapse following a period of abstinence and concomitant feelings of guilt and loss of control increased the probability of a return to regular substance use. The Abstinence Violation Effect (AVE) hypotheses were tested in a sample of 75 adult marijuana users who reported a lapse into marijuana use following completion of either a relapse prevention (RP) or social support group treatment aimed at abstinence. Results showed that more internal, stable, and global attributions for the cause of the lapse and perceived loss of control were related significantly to concurrently reported relapse. Further, internal and global attributions predicted marijuana use during the subsequent 6 months. Results are discussed in terms of support for the AVE construct, treatment implications, and the failure of the RP treatment to modify reactions to a lapse.