Project Description
HIV Prevention for Crystal Methamphetamine Users
PI: David Kanouse
Funded by: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Since the late 1980s, use and abuse of the street drug methamphetamine, popularly known as "crystal", has increased dramatically, especially in the western United States. Methamphetamine use and abuse occurs disproportionately among gay and bisexual men. Evidence suggests that its use in this population is associated with an increase in high-risk sexual activity and consequently with an increased risk of HIV transmission. Successful treatments for methamphetamine dependency have not been demonstrated, and innovative approaches to modify methamphetamine use and associated sexual behaviors are urgently needed. RAND will develop and test an intervention among 120 HIV-positive and HIV-negative men who have used crystal methamphetamine in the 30 days prior to recruitment for the study. The intervention will comprise a seven-session treatment course focusing on harm reduction. The research team will assess behavior through questionnaires prior to treatment, on completion of the intervention, and three months later. Additional behavioral measures will be obtained during the intervention. Evidence of change in risk-related behavior and other indicators of success will be used to assess whether the intervention's potential warrants rigorous evaluation in an experimental clinical trial.
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