Trends in methamphetamine use in young injection drug users in San Francisco from 1998 to 2004: the UFO Study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe temporal trends in methamphetamine use among young injection drug users (IDU) in San Francisco.


METHODS
Secondary analysis of cross-sectional baseline data collected for a longitudinal study of young IDU from 1998 to 2004. Participants were 1445 young IDU (<30 years old) who reported injection in the previous month, English-speaking, and recruited by street outreach methods. We examined trends for: lifetime (ever) and recent (30-day) methamphetamine use, including injected and non-injected, and by age group and sexual risk behaviour [men who have sex with men injecting drug users (MSM-IDU), male IDU (non-MSM) and female IDU].


RESULTS
In 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004 we interviewed 237, 276, 431, 310, 147 and 44 participants, respectively. Overall, median age was 22 years [interquartile range (IQR) 20-25], 30.3% were women and median duration of injecting was 4.4 years (IQR 2-7). Prevalence of methamphetamine use was high, with 50.1% reporting recent injection, but overall there were no temporal increases in reported 'ever' injected use. Recent methamphetamine injection (past 30 days) increased significantly, and peaked at 60% in 2003. MSM-IDU had higher methamphetamine injection ever (92.3%) and recently (59.5%) compared to heterosexual male (non-MSM) IDU (81.6% and 47.3%, respectively) and to female IDU (78.4% and 46.1%, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite reports of ubiquitous increases in methamphetamine use, there were no significant increases in 6 years in ever injecting methamphetamine overall among young IDU. MSM-IDU who reported the highest methamphetamine use overall reported some increases in recent injected use. The methamphetamine 'epidemic' was probably under way among young IDU earlier than other populations.
Inglez-Dias
Aline
A
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA.
Hahn
Judith A
JA
Lum
Paula J
PJ
Evans
Jennifer
J
Davidson
Peter
P
Page-Shafer
Kimberly
K
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012495:San Francisco / Q000453:epidemiology; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008694:Methamphetamine