Grant: Operating Grant - HIV/AIDS CBR Program - General

Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV. Methamphetamine use is elevated among gbMSM compared to the general population, and it is associated with poor HIV prevention and treatment outcomes. Although interventions have been developed for gbMSM who are actively using methamphetamine, to our knowledge there have been no initiatives aimed at empowering gbMSM in their decisions around INITIATING methamphetamine use. The aims of our community-based initiative are 1) to solicit gbMSM's perceptions regarding social, behavioural, and environmental factors that contribute to the initiation of methamphetamine use, as well as strengths, resiliencies, and supports that potentially empower decisions around initiation; 2) to gain insight from service providers regarding challenges, strengths, resiliencies, and supports that underlie their gbMSM clients' initiation decisions; and 3) using a theoretical framework, to quantitatively assess challenges, strengths, resiliencies, and supports related to gbMSM's decisions to initiate, or refrain from initiating, methamphetamine use. Corresponding activities include 1) qualitative interviews with 20-30 gbMSM who recently initiated methamphetamine use, or who contemplated initiating but chose not to; 2) qualitative interviews with 10-15 providers who deliver services to gbMSM; and 3) a theory-based, quantitative survey with 120 gbMSM who recently initiated, or chose not to initiate, methamphetamine use. Findings will provide key insight regarding social, behavioural and environmental challenges that precipitate methamphetamine initiation; as well as strengths, resiliencies, and supports that facilitate gbMSM in their choices. The knowledge gained will help guide community-based, strengths-focused approaches aimed at empowering gbMSM in their decisions about methamphetamine initiation, which in turn could enhance HIV prevention and treatment outcomes among this community.