MSM and Substances Cohort at UCLA Linking Infections Noting Effects, better known as the M Study

RELEVANCE: Stimulant use, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Los Angeles County (LAC) is common.  Stimulant drug use, particularly methamphetamine use, is a significant factor in the progression of HIV and STI among MSM in LAC.  Non-white MSM are at greatest risk of HIV infection in the United States.  Analyses of drug use are needed among diverse samples of MSM in order to understand the impact of drug use on the HIV epidemic over time and to address the effect of long-term drug use patterns on uptake and adherence to treatment and prevention of the disease.

DESCRIPTION: The goal of this project is to assemble a cohort of minority men who have sex with men (MMSM) who actively use substances and engage transmission risks. This will facilitate studies on interactions between substance use and HIV progression and/or transmission. This important cohort of MMSM will characterize: (i) effects substance use on risk behaviors, and network dynamics in exposed and infected MMSM on acquisition of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs: gonorrhea, Chlamydia, syphilis, Hepatitis C (HCV)); and (ii) the extent to which substance use in MMSM facilitates behaviors that transmit HIV compared to non-drug using MMSM.

STATUS: This study is now enrolling. For more information, visit the study website at http://www.theMStudy.org. While this study is on-going, several papers have been published using the findings to date. Several are included below for your reference:

1. Blair CS, Needleman J, Javanbakht M, Comulada WS, Ragsdale A, Bolan R, Shoptaw S, Gorbach PM. Examining the Relative Contributions of Methamphetamine Use, Depression, and Sexual Risk Behavior on Rectal Gonorrhea/Chlamydia Among a Cohort of Men Who Have Sex With Men in Los Angeles, California. Sex Transm Dis. 2022 Mar 1;49(3):216-222. PMCID: PMC8821317.

2. Blair CS, Javanbakht M, Comulada WS, Richter EI, Bolan R, Shoptaw S, Gorbach PM. Lubricants and rectal douching: associations with rectal gonorrhea, chlamydia, and/or syphilis infection among men who have sex with men. Int J STD AIDS. 2020 Oct;31(11):1040-1046. Epub 2020 Aug 4. PMCID: PMC7654094.

3. Blair CS, Needleman J, Javanbakht M, Comulada WS, Ragsdale A, Bolan R, Shoptaw S, Gorbach PM. Risk Behaviors Associated with Patterns of Sexualized Stimulant and Alcohol Use among Men Who Have Sex with Men: a Latent Class Analysis. J Urban Health. 2022 Apr;99(2):293-304Epub 2022 Jan 14. PMCID: PMC9033896.

4. Li MJ, Richter EI, Okafor CN, Kalmin MM, Dalvie S, Takada S, Gorbach PM, Shoptaw SJ, Cole SW. Social Genomics of Methamphetamine Use, HIV Viral Load, and Social Adversity. Ann Behav Med. 2022 Aug 30;56(9):900-908. PMCID: PMC9424866.

5. Quinn B, Gorbach PM, Okafor CN, Heinzerling KG, Shoptaw S. Investigating possible syndemic relationships between structural and drug use factors, sexual HIV transmission and viral load among men of colour who have sex with men in Los Angeles County. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2020 Feb;39(2):116-127. PMCID: PMC8007134.

6. Li MJ, Takada S, Okafor CN, Gorbach PM, Shoptaw SJ, Cole SW. Experienced homophobia and gene expression alterations in Black and Latino men who have sex with men in Los Angeles County. Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Jan;83:120-125. Epub 2019 Sep 26. PMCID: PMC6906252.

7. Li MJ, Okafor CN, Gorbach PM, Shoptaw S. Intersecting burdens: Homophobic victimization, unstable housing, and methamphetamine use in a cohort of men of color who have sex with men. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2018 Nov 1;192:179-185. Epub 2018 Sep 13. PMCID: PMC6200602.

8. Cohen JM, Li MJ, Javanbakht M, Gorbach PM, Shoptaw SJ. Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, California. Drug Alcohol Depend Rep. 2022 Dec;5:100097. Epub 2022 Sep 29. PMCID: PMC9519521.

9. Shoptaw S, Li MJ, Javanbakht M, Ragsdale A, Goodman-Meza D, Gorbach PM. Frequency of reported methamphetamine use linked to prevalence of clinical conditions, sexual risk behaviors, and social adversity in diverse men who have sex with men in Los Angeles. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2022 Mar 1;232:109320. Epub 2022 Jan 19. PMCID: PMC8885921.

10. Ciccarone D, Shoptaw S. Understanding Stimulant Use and Use Disorders in a New Era. Med Clin North Am. 2022 Jan;106(1):81-97. PMCID: PMC8670631.

11. Okafor CN, Gorbach PM, Ragsdale A, Quinn B, Shoptaw S. Correlates of Preexposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Use among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Los Angeles, California. J Urban Health. 2017 Oct;94(5):710-715. PMCID: PMC5610125.

12. Takada S, Gorbach P, Brookmeyer R, Shoptaw S. Associations of social capital resources and experiences of homophobia with HIV transmission risk behavior and HIV care continuum among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles. AIDS Care. 2021 May;33(5):663-674. Epub 2020 Oct 14. PMCID: PMC8044261.

13. Gorbach PM, Javanbakht M, Ragsdale A, Bolan RB, Flynn R, Mandler R, Shoptaw S. Methamphetamine Injection Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men: Risk for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission in a Los Angeles Cohort. J Infect Dis. 2020 Sep 2;222(Suppl 5):S471-S476. PMCID: PMC7566619.