title: Environmental risk, social cognition, and drug use among young men who have sex with men: longitudinal effects of minority status on health processes and outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) continue to be at elevated risk for substance use; however, models explaining this phenomenon have often focused on a limited array of explanatory constructs. This study examined the longitudinal relationship of contextual risk factors, social cognitive processes, mental health, and health protective behavior to identify key mechanisms of illicit drug use of YMSM as they aged through emerging adulthood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our sample included an ethnically diverse cohort of 487 YMSM recruited through venue based probability sampling in Los Angeles. We used latent growth curve modeling to understand relationships between environmental risk factors, changing individual and social process variables, health protective behavior, psychological distress, and illicit drug use outcomes among YMSM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age, ethnicity, violence and discrimination, depression, and previous histories of illicit drug use were key elements of risk for future illicit drug use among YMSM. During this theoretically distinct time period, health as a value, self-efficacy, and social support are vital social cognitive processes for promoting self-change among YMSM, and YMSM have independent growth within each process. Health as a value, self-efficacy, and social support were dynamic social cognitive processes, which served as key mechanisms by which risk factors were converted into health promotion strategies or psychological distress, and ultimately illicit drug use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The efficacy of prevention interventions aimed at reducing illicit drug use among YMSM can be enhanced by addressing social cognitive processes for this underserved portion of the male population.
authors: School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-041, United States. traube@usc.edu
authors: Dorian E
authors: DE
authors: Traube
authors: Sheree M
authors: SM
authors: Schrager
authors: Ian W
authors: IW
authors: Holloway
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Weiss
authors: Michele D
authors: MD
authors: Kipke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult