Methamphetamine ("tik") use and its association with condom use among out-of-school females in Cape Town, South Africa.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the association between methamphetamine use and sexual risk behaviors among young South African women between 13 and 20 years of age.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between methamphetamine use and condom use among out-of-school South African female adolescents.


METHODS
Black and Coloured female adolescents were interviewed and categorized into methamphetamine user (n = 261) or non-user (n = 188) groups.


RESULTS
Methamphetamine use was reported by 58% of the total sample. Higher methamphetamine rates were found among young Coloured females (87%) than among young Black females (11%). In a multiple logistic regression analysis that adjusted for relevant confounders and included an interaction term for race and methamphetamine use, Coloured female methamphetamine users were over six times more likely than other participants to report not using a condom the last time they had sex (OR = 6.21; 95% CI = 1.21, 31.94).


CONCLUSIONS
Efforts are needed to reduce methamphetamine use and related sexual risk among adolescent females in Coloured communities and to prevent the spread of methamphetamine use in Black African communities.
Wechsberg
Wendee M
WM
Substance Abuse Treatment Evaluations and Interventions Program, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709-2194, USA. wmw@rti.org
Jones
Hendree E
HE
Zule
William A
WA
Myers
Bronwyn J
BJ
Browne
Felicia A
FA
Kaufman
Michelle R
MR
Luseno
Winnie
W
Flisher
Alan J
AJ
Parry
Charles D H
CD
D000293:Adolescent; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D044383:Black People / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008694:Methamphetamine; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
D008694:Methamphetamine