The overall goal of this study is to determine the long-term health effects of methamphetamine use within an existing cohort of men who have sex with men participating in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. Specifically, this study focuses on stimulant abuse effects on health issues that occur at the intersection of mental health, drug abuse, and HIV infection.

The specific aims are:

  1. To identify the precursors of methamphetamine (“meth”) use and/or abuse among MSM,
  2. To identify the development of comorbidities and HIV risk among meth users,
  3. To identify development of comorbidities and HIV risk among minority men, and
  4. To test whether meth use hastens HIV disease progression in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

This is a multicenter, prospective substudy of the MACS study designed to test the theoretical model of the emergence of meth use and associated health problems among MSM by administering psychosocial/behavioral questionnaires at two consecutive MACS Visits, 49/50. Data collected included a battery of psychosocial measures, early lifetime stressors, ongoing stressors, current sexual behaviors, drug use patterns, and other health risks.