Does Treatment Readiness Shape Service-Design Preferences of Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men Who Use Crystal Methamphetamine? A Cross Sectional Study

Kiffer G. Card, Madison McGuire, Graham W. Berlin, Gordon A. Wells, Karyn Fulcher, Tribesty Nguyen, Trevor A. Hart, Shayna Skakoon Sparling and Nathan J. Lachowsky
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Kiffer G. Card: Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
Madison McGuire: School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Montréal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
Graham W. Berlin: Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada
Gordon A. Wells: School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
Karyn Fulcher: School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
Tribesty Nguyen: Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Trevor A. Hart: Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada
Shayna Skakoon Sparling: Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada
Nathan J. Lachowsky: School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-17

Abstract: Crystal methamphetamine (CM) disproportionately impacts gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM). However, not all gbMSM are interested in changing their substance use. The present study aimed to examine whether participant-preferred service characteristics were associated with their readiness to change. We surveyed gbMSM who used CM in the past six months, aged 18 plus years, on dating platforms. Participants rated service-design characteristics from “very unimportant” to “very important”. Multivariable regression tested service preference ratings across levels of the Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale (SOCRATES-8D). Among 291 participants, 38.7% reported their CM use was not problematic, 19.5% were not ready to take any action to reduce or stop using CM, and 41.7% were ready to take action. On average, participants rated inclusive, culturally-appropriate, out-patient counselling-based interventions as most important. Participants with greater readiness-to-change scores rated characteristics higher than gbMSM with lesser readiness. Contingency management and non-abstinence programming were identified as characteristics that might engage those with lesser readiness. Services should account for differences in readiness-to-change. Programs that provide incentives and employ harm reduction principles are needed for individuals who may not be seeking to reduce or change their CM use.

Keywords: methamphetamine; gay and bisexual men; patient-oriented care; intervention design; readiness to change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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