Risk behaviors of Filipino methamphetamine users in San Francisco: implications for prevention and treatment of drug use and HIV.
OBJECTIVE
This study describes the demographics, HIV risk and drug use behaviors, and psychosocial status of Filipino American methamphetamine users in the San Francisco Bay area.


METHODS
Individual interviews were conducted with 83 Filipino American methamphetamine users, recruited through snowball sampling methods. A structured survey questionnaire included measures of drug use behaviors, HIV-related sexual behaviors, psychosocial factors, and demographics.


RESULTS
Filipino methamphetamine users tended to be male, to have low levels of perceived personal control in their lives, and to report low levels of shame about their drug use. Methamphetamine use was strongly associated with HIV-related risk behaviors. Frequent methamphetamine users tended to engage in drug use before or during sex and to use condoms infrequently. Commercial sex activity was associated with frequency of methamphetamine use. About one-third of the study participants had never been tested for HIV.


CONCLUSIONS
HIV/STD and drug abuse prevention programs that target Filipino Americans are needed. These programs should be tailored to meet clients' needs on the basis of gender, employment status, acculturation, and psychosocial variables that affect drug use and sexual behaviors.
Nemoto
Tooru
T
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA. tnemoto@psg.ucsf.edu
Operario
Don
D
Soma
Toho
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology*; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010679:Philippines / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D011477:Sex Work / Q000208:ethnology; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000208:ethnology; D012923:Social Class; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008694:Methamphetamine