Rapid assessment of crystal methamphetamine and GHB use in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community in New South Wales, Australia
NDARC Staff
Louisa Degenhardt
Other Investigators
David McGuigan and Stevie Clayton (AIDS Council of New South Wales (ACON))
Aims
- review the existing literature on the effects of GHB and crystal methamphetamine and harms related to their use, with a particular focus upon evidence from GLBT populations
- summarise existing data on the extent of use of these drugs in the GLBT community in NSW
- conduct interviews with key experts working within the GLBT community, who had knowledge about trends in use and harms related to the use of these drugs, as well as obtain information from the GLBT community itself
- summarise existing programmes designed to address the harms related to the use of these drugs
- consider the implications of this exercise for future research, public health interventions, and programme development
Design and Method
A literature review was conducted of the available evidence on GHB and crystal meth use and harms with focus on issues related to the GLBT community. Existing data on recent trends in use derived from surveillance studies with sentinel groups of homosexually active men (such as the Sydney Gay Community Periodic Survey and the Health in Men cohort), with women identifying as lesbian, bisexual or queer (the Sydney Women and Sexual Health study), and with regular ecstasy users (the PDI). These studies have provided some time trend data on drug use among gay/bisexual men and women, but there is a distinct lack of detailed data on these issues. Additional studies primarily conducted jointly at the National Centre for HIV Social Research (UNSW) and the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research (UNSW) provide additional, more in depth information on different issues and sub-populations within the GLBT community (primarily homosexually active men). Data were also collected from community forums conducted in late 2004 and early 2005 in Sydney. The first two forums, in particular, provided useful data on community concerns and opinions about use and harms related to crystal meth use. Interviews with a dozen key experts (KE) from Sydney were also conducted during early 2005. Interviews were conducted with general practitioners (GPs) in inner city clinics, drug counsellors, GLBT outreach workers, party promoters, and managers of sex on premises venues. The notes from these interviews were used where appropriate to provide additional contextual information.
Output
Degenhardt, L., McGuigan, D. & Clayton, S. (2005). Rapid assessment of crystal methamphetamine and GHB use in the gay, lesbian and transgender community in New South Wales. Technical Report No. 235. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.
Funding
NSW Health