Beliefs and Behaviors Regarding Substance Use and HIV Risk among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in a Mid-Sized U.S. Community

This paper explores the beliefs and behaviors surrounding substance use and HIV risk among a convenience sample of 98 men who have sex with men (MSM) in a mid-sized community located in the central United States. Several interesting patterns were identified in the descriptive analyses. Multivariate analysis identified two variables-belief that recreational drug use made sexual experiences better and reports that most MSM friends drank alcohol or took recreational drugs-that were significant predictors of engagement in substance using behavior. Models accounted for 24% of the variance in drinking behavior and 15% of the variance in drug using behavior. Suggestions for HIV/AIDS prevention and intervention and implications for future research are given.