Drug use characteristics and correlates of multiple risk behaviors among synthetic drug users

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: Understanding drug use characteristics can help inform preventive education and behavioral therapy. The aims of the current study are to describe drug use characteristics and examine factors associated with multiple risk behaviors among synthetic drug users in China. Method: Cross-sectional data were obtained in 2015 from 846 (457 men and 389 women) adult synthetic drug users in China. SAS 9.4 was used for all data analyses. Results: Multiple regression analyses showed that female participants were more likely to have engaged in a suicide attempt, while male participants were more likely to have engaged in group sex under the influence of drugs, gambling, vandalism, beating up others, motorcycle racing, and other criminal activities. Moreover, age, occupation, education level, household socioeconomic status, age of drug initiation, and drug use frequency were associated with multiple risk behaviors. Conclusions: Future health promotion efforts to reduce risk behaviors among synthetic drug users need to focus on reducing drug use frequency and helping them find possible ways to improve livelihoods. The gender differences in risk behaviors also suggest the needs of gender-specific prevention intervention strategies such as mental health services and reduction of partner influence among female users, and reduction of peer influence among male users.