A Comparison of Risk and Protective Factors for Regular Alcohol Use Among Young MSM

Objective. To examine risk and protective factors associated with regular use of alcohol among White, African American and Hispanic young men who have sex with men that can guide intervention development. Background. Misuse of alcohol and its sequelae are major public health problems. Despite this, a high proportion of adolescent and young adults report regularly using alcohol. Because early initiation of alcohol use predict later misuse and is linked to negative physiologic and behavioral consequences, understanding the risk and protective factors associated with regular use of alcohol, particularly among socially oppressed youth (e.g. those who are ethnic or sexual minorities) is important for intervention development. Methods. We recruited 189 gay/bisexual males (age 15 to 22) from three ethnic groups in Chicago, IL and Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, Florida to complete a self-administered questionnaire. In addition to psychosocial factors, youth reported use of alcohol and other drugs and sexual practices during the last 90 days. We examined the predictors of regular alcohol use at the univariate level and then ran a logistic regression using the significant univariate predictors to identify risk and protective factors. Results. A large proportion of participants regularly used alcohol. Alcohol was also a contributor to high risk sexual practices. In the logistic regression, older age and having more attachment to the gay community emerged as risk factor for regular alcohol use, while being in a long term relationship and strong ethnic identification emerged as protective factors. Conclusions. These findings should help guide development of preventive interventions. Grants. Adolescent Trial Network (ATN) 020