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.