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Substance-specific readiness to change among sexual and gender minority men who use crystal methamphetamine

  • Kiffer G. Card1,2,*,
  • Madison McGuire3
  • Jordan Bond-Gorr4
  • Tribesty Nguyen5
  • Gordon A. Wells2
  • Karyn Fulcher2
  • Graham Berlin6
  • Nathan J. Lachowsky2

1Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby BC V5A 1S6, Canada

2School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada

3Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada

4Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance, Toronto, ON M4Y 2W5, Canada

5Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada

6Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 1Y2, Canada

DOI: 10.22514/jomh.2022.005 Vol.18,Issue 12,December 2022 pp.3-11

Submitted: 01 June 2022 Accepted: 01 November 2022

Published: 30 December 2022

*Corresponding Author(s): Kiffer G. Card E-mail: kiffercard@uvic.ca

Abstract

A patient-oriented approach to addressing high levels of polysubstance use among sexual and gender minority men (SGM) who use crystal methamphetamine (CM) requires an understanding of which drugs they would like to change their use of. We examined readiness to change for 24 separate substances. Participants were SGM, aged 18+, living with Canada, who used CM in the past six months that were recruited through advertisements on socio-sexual networking applications. Frequency of use and readiness to change were descriptively analyzed and associations between frequency of use and readiness to change were assessed. Only slightly more than half (53.1%) of CM-using SGM were ready now, soon, or in the future to change substance use. Participants were most ready to change their tobacco, methamphetamine, and barbiturate use. Greater frequency of use was associated with greater readiness to change for all drugs in which daily or almost daily use was common. SGM participants reported high levels of comfort being asked about their substance use from primary care, mental health, and queer-identified health professionals. Interventions addressing multiple and specific substances are needed in health care settings serving SGM who use CM. Screening, brief interventions, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) in these settings may help identify those ready to address their substance use. Harm reduction interventions should offer supports for those not wanting to change their substance use—which includes most SGM for most of the drugs they use.


Keywords

Substance use; Sexual minorities; Frequency of use; Problem recognition; Readiness; Crystal methamphetamine


Cite and Share

Kiffer G. Card,Madison McGuire,Jordan Bond-Gorr,Tribesty Nguyen,Gordon A. Wells,Karyn Fulcher,Graham Berlin,Nathan J. Lachowsky. Substance-specific readiness to change among sexual and gender minority men who use crystal methamphetamine. Journal of Men's Health. 2022. 18(12);3-11.

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