Abstract
Substance use is a public health concern in the United States. Hispanic men in the United States experience disproportionate rates of substance use when compared to other ethnic groups. Previous research with the general population of Hispanic men has identified factors that are related and may contribute to substance use. In addition, Hispanic men who have sex with men (HMSM) may experience additional social factors that may result in substance use. Despite the body of research on substance use among Hispanic men, no study to date has compared the substance use behaviors of Hispanic men by sexual orientation. The purpose of this study was to compare the substance use behaviors of Hispanic men by sexual orientation. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used to collect data from 164 community-dwelling Hispanic men (i.e., 77 heterosexual men and 87 HMSM) who resided in the South Florida area. Participants completed standardized measures of substance use and demographic characteristics. Findings suggested that heterosexual men had higher rates of substance use when compared to MSM. No differences were found among the two groups of men in terms of alcohol intoxication. Religion, education, and income were not predictors of substance use. When health insurance status was controlled, MSM were less likely to report substance use. As a population, Hispanic men continue to experience health disparities in terms of substance use. Because substance use renders Hispanic men at risk for other health issues, more research is needed to understand the co-occurring health disparities experienced by Hispanic men who reside in the United States.
Highlights
Substance use, which includes both the use of alcohol and drugs, is defined as the self-administration of a psychoactive substances that is that is not medically or legally sanctioned (World Health Organization [WHO], 1994)
The results of this study provide some important information on the substance abuse behaviors of Hispanic men
In terms of what is known about the relationship of substance use and sexual orientation among Hispanic men, the findings of this study provide some new information on how the substance use behaviors of Hispanic men may vary by sexual orientation
Summary
Substance use, which includes both the use of alcohol and drugs, is defined as the self-administration of a psychoactive substances that is that is not medically or legally sanctioned (World Health Organization [WHO], 1994). Substance use is a public health concern in the United States because the use of substances increases the risk of substance abuse. About 22 million people in the United States are engaged in substance abuse. Some evidence had suggested that Hispanics, the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States (Ortman & Guarneri, 2009; U.S Census Bureau, 2011), experience higher rates of alcohol and drug use when compared to other racial/ethnic groups (Gonzalez-Guarda et al, 2008; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2010; Zenmore, 2005). Among Hispanics residing in the United States, Hispanic men tend to have higher rates of substance use than Hispanic women (SAMHSA, 2010)
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