Club Drugs: Ecstasy Use Patterns and HIV Risk

描述(申请人提供)：这项为期四年的学习的目的是 了解更多关于在青少年中使用俱乐部药物，特别是摇头丸的知识 在美国的用户。为了更好地了解 对于摇头丸使用者，我们建议对300名使用者进行一项研究。各阶段 通常涉及毒品职业生涯的是入门，包括最初的回避， 延续、升级/滥用以及维持或依赖。鲜为人知 关于可能激励或阻碍用户从一个阶段过渡到 又一个。摇头丸是一种唤醒药物，它产生的不安全性行为与 HIV性行为风险与易货毒品(如强效可卡因)一样。鲜为人知 对俱乐部吸毒者的HIV风险和防护行为的了解。这个 这项拟议研究的具体目标是：(1)检查职业生涯是否 吸毒的观点适用于年轻人使用摇头丸，他们是 活跃的使用者和没有接受药物治疗的人。这包括强调 第一次使用、继续使用、使用模式的变化以及信念， 使用动机和感知的利弊；(2)探索 阻碍或鼓励从一个使用阶段过渡到 又一个。通过采取生态方法，我们认识到 个人特征和背景情况；以及(3) 调查年轻成年摇头丸吸毒者中艾滋病毒风险的性质。这个 数据收集将主要是定性的，还有一些定量的数据 收集人口统计数据和危险行为，如吸毒、性行为 活跃度和艾滋病毒。定性数据分析涉及扎根理论和 定量数据分析将仅限于描述性统计。这项研究 将是第一批详细记录摇头丸使用含义的人之一， 摇头丸使用的发展进程、动机和障碍 成为更频繁的用户。现有的，尽管文献有限，关于 摇头丸表明吸毒者有感染艾滋病毒/艾滋病的风险。研究结果具有 有可能产生对社会和卫生服务有用的信息 提供者、执法官员、政策制定者和其他人。这项研究将 还为未来的大规模研究提供基线数据，以及 干预措施。我们还希望能够收集到可以 用于技术转让。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this four-year study is to learn more about the use of club drugs, specifically ecstasy, among young adult users in the United States. To gain a better understanding of the careers of ecstasy users, we propose to conduct a study among 300 users. The stages typically involved in drug careers are initiation, including initial avoidance, continuation, escalation/abuse, and maintenance or dependence. Little is known about factors that might motivate or hinder users in moving from one stage to another. Ecstasy is an arousal drug that yields different unsafe sex than the HIV sex risks common with barter drugs such as crack cocaine. Little is known about the HIV risk and protective behaviors among the users of club drugs. The specific aims of the proposed study are: (1) to examine if the career perspective of drug use applies to ecstasy use among young adults, who are active users and who are not in drug treatment. This includes an emphasis on first time use, continued use, changes in use patterns, as well as belief, motivations and perceived advantages and disadvantages of use; (2) to explore factors that hinder or encourage the transition from one stage of use to another. By taking an ecological approach, we acknowledge the impact of individual characteristics as well as contextual circumstances; and (3) to investigate the nature of HIV risk-taking among young adult ecstasy users. The data collection will be primarily qualitative, with some quantitative data collection on demographics and risk behaviors such as drug use, sexual activity, and HIV. Qualitative data analysis involved grounded theory and the quantitative data analysis will be limited to descriptive statistics. The study will be among the first to document in detail the meaning of ecstasy use, the developmental progression of ecstasy use, and motivators and barriers to becoming more frequent users. The existing, although limited literature, on ecstasy suggests users to be at risk for HIV/AIDS. The study findings have the potential to produce information that is useful for social and health service providers, law enforcement officials, policy makers, and others. The study will also provide baseline data for future large-scale studies as well as interventions. We also expect to be able to collect information that can be used for technology transfer.