CAHSS Faculty Articles

Age of Sexual Initiation, Psychiatric Symptoms, and Sexual Risk Behavior among Ecstasy and LSD Users in Porto Alegre, Brazil: A Preliminary Analysis

Department

Department of Justice and Human Services

Publication Date

3-1-2011

Publication Title

Journal of Drug Issues

Volume

41

Issue/No.

2

First Page

217

Last Page

231

Abstract

Ecstasy and LSD use is widespread in large Brazilian cities, but there is limited information on their use among young, middle-class, club goers in Brazil. We conducted standardized face-to-face interviews with 200 male and female ecstasy and/or LSD users, focusing on drug use and sexual history, current risk behaviors, and psychiatric symptomatology. Participants with early sexual debut (before 14) were more likely to report lifetime use of marijuana and powder and crack cocaine than those with later sexual initiation. Early sexual debut was associated with past year sexual risk behaviors, including having sex while high (Prevalence Ratio (PR)=1.3), having two or more sex partners (PR=1.3), as well as history of sexual abuse (PR=13.6). Depression and anxiety scores were similar by age of sexual initiation. The implications of these findings are discussed.

ORCID ID

0000-0002-1994-9983, 0000-0003-1628-8734, 0000-0003-4027-7840, 0000-0001-9228-7114

ResearcherID

P-1629-2014, L-1235-2016, K-3072-2014, H-3010-2014, D-5452-2015

DOI

10.1177/002204261104100204

Peer Reviewed

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