TY - JOUR
T1 - Age of Sexual Initiation, Psychiatric Symptoms, and Sexual Risk Behavior among Ecstasy and LSD Users in Porto Alegre, Brazil: A Preliminary Analysis
AU - Pechansky, Flavio
AU - Remy, Lysa S.
AU - Surratt, Hilary L.
AU - Kurtz, Steven P.
AU - Maio Rocha, Thiago Botter
AU - Von Diemen, Lisia
AU - Bumaguin, Daniela B.
AU - Inciardi, James A.
PY - 2011/3/1
Y1 - 2011/3/1
N2 - Ecstasy and LSD use is widespread in large Brazilian cities, but there is limited information on their use among young, middle-class, club goers in Brazil. We conducted standardized face-to-face interviews with 200 male and female ecstasy and/or LSD users, focusing on drug use and sexual history, current risk behaviors, and psychiatric symptomatology. Participants with early sexual debut (before 14) were more likely to report lifetime use of marijuana and powder and crack cocaine than those with later sexual initiation. Early sexual debut was associated with past year sexual risk behaviors, including having sex while high (Prevalence Ratio (PR)=1.3), having two or more sex partners (PR=1.3), as well as history of sexual abuse (PR=13.6). Depression and anxiety scores were similar by age of sexual initiation. The implications of these findings are discussed.
AB - Ecstasy and LSD use is widespread in large Brazilian cities, but there is limited information on their use among young, middle-class, club goers in Brazil. We conducted standardized face-to-face interviews with 200 male and female ecstasy and/or LSD users, focusing on drug use and sexual history, current risk behaviors, and psychiatric symptomatology. Participants with early sexual debut (before 14) were more likely to report lifetime use of marijuana and powder and crack cocaine than those with later sexual initiation. Early sexual debut was associated with past year sexual risk behaviors, including having sex while high (Prevalence Ratio (PR)=1.3), having two or more sex partners (PR=1.3), as well as history of sexual abuse (PR=13.6). Depression and anxiety scores were similar by age of sexual initiation. The implications of these findings are discussed.
KW - Brazil
KW - LSD
KW - age of sexual initiation
KW - drug users
KW - ecstasy
KW - psychiatric symptoms
KW - risk factors for drug use
KW - sexual risk behaviors
UR - https://nsuworks.nova.edu/shss_facarticles/272
UR - https://doi.org/10.1177/002204261104100204
U2 - 10.1177/002204261104100204
DO - 10.1177/002204261104100204
M3 - Article
SN - 0022-0426
VL - 41
JO - Journal of Drug Issues
JF - Journal of Drug Issues
ER -