title: Modeling substance use in emerging adult gay, bisexual, and other YMSM across time: the P18 cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine patterns of substance use over time in a new generation of emerging adult gay, bisexual, and other young men who have sex with men (YMSM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from the first four waves of on ongoing prospective cohort study of YMSM who were ages 18 to 19 at baseline and were assessed each 6 months for substance use via calendar based methods. Latent growth curve modeling was utilized to assess changes over time for four drug use categories: alcohol, marijuana, inhalant nitrates, and other drugs (e.g., cocaine, ecstasy) and between groups (race/ethnicity, perceived familial socioeconomic status; SES).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Use of all substances increased steadily across the follow-up period. White YMSM demonstrated higher levels of alcohol use at the 18-mo follow-up visit compared to other racial/ethnic groups, while rates of change across groups were similar. Marijuana use at 18 months was highest for Hispanics who also indicated the highest rate of change. Finally, YMSM who reported higher perceived SES reported the lowest use and lowest rates of change for other drug use. Controlling for perceived SES, differences in patterns of drug use by race/ethnicity were evident but differences were not as large.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increases in substance use in the emerging adulthood of YMSM indicate the need for structural and behavioral interventions tailored to address substance use in these young men before chronic patterns of use develop. Differences in patterns of drug use across racial/ethnic and SES groups suggest that interventions need to consider person-level differences.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies, New York University, 726 Broadway Suite 525, New York, NY 10003, United States; Global Institute of Public Heath, New York University, New York, NY 10003, United States; Department of Population Health, Langone School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10003, United States. Electronic address: perry.halkitis@nyu.edu.
authors.forename: Perry N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Halkitis
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior & Society, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States.
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Siconolfi
authors.affiliation: Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies, New York University, 726 Broadway Suite 525, New York, NY 10003, United States.
authors.forename: Christopher B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Stults
authors.affiliation: Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies, New York University, 726 Broadway Suite 525, New York, NY 10003, United States.
authors.forename: Staci
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.affiliation: College of Education, University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign, Champaign, IL, United States.
authors.forename: Kristen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bub
authors.affiliation: Center for Health, Identity, Behavior & Prevention Studies, New York University, 726 Broadway Suite 525, New York, NY 10003, United States; Global Institute of Public Heath, New York University, New York, NY 10003, United States; Department of Population Health, Langone School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10003, United States.
authors.forename: Farzana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kapadia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000639:trends*; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000208:ethnology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol and other drugs; Emerging adulthood; Gay and bisexual men; Latent growth curve modeling; Longitudinal; YMSM