Prevalence and Correlates of Sex Selling and Sex Purchasing among Adults Seeking Treatment for Cocaine Use Disorder

Bibliographic Data

ID21646409
AuthorsEmma C Lathan (0000-0002-9077-213X, Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addiction, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA, corresponding author), Judy H Hong (0000-0002-6720-6404, Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addiction, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA), Angela M Heads (0000-0002-3971-222X, Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addiction, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA), Nicholas C Borgogna (0000-0002-5085-3656, Texas Tech University), Joy M Schmitz (0000-0002-3561-4614, Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addiction, Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA)
Year2021
Volume56
Issue14
Pages2229-2241
Publication date2021-12-06
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSubstance Use & Misuse (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1082-6084 • E-ISSN: 1532-2491
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10826084.2021.1981391
PMID34559026
OpenAlexW3201155411
LanguageEN
References cited89

Introduction Exchange sex places individuals with cocaine use disorder (CUD) at particularly high risk for deleterious safety and health outcomes. A substance use treatment provider who is aware of a patient’s exchange sex behavior is better able to provide appropriate screening, care, and/or referral to risk reduction services. However, little is known about exchange sex, especially purchasing, among treatment-seeking adults with CUD. Method The current study examined the prevalence and correlates of sex selling and sex purchasing among treatment-seeking men and women with CUD (n = 109; ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT02896712). Separate binary logistic regressions via backward elimination were used to identify best fitting models for sex selling and sex purchasing. Results Over 41% of participants endorsed exchange sex within the last 30 days; 20.2% reported selling sex and 30.3% reported purchasing sex. Sex selling and sex purchasing rates differed by gender and race. Number of sexual partners (OR = 5.83, 95% CI = 2.07–16.43), concern about contracting HIV/AIDS (OR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.31–3.44), cumulative interpersonal trauma exposure (OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.20–2.77), years using cocaine (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.03–1.20), drug-related problem days (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.00–1.14), and sexual preference (OR = 9.50, 95% CI = .69–130.35) were retained in the final model estimating sex selling (Nagelkerke R2 = .56). In the final sex purchasing model (Nagelkerke R2 = .46), gender (OR = 36.17, 95% CI = 2.96–441.75), number of sexual partners (OR = 6.28, 95% CI = 2.69–14.66), number of convictions (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.02–1.25), and drug-related problem days (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = .92–1.01) were retained. Conclusion Predictive models in this study identified distinct sets of variables related to sex selling and purchasing. Findings may be used to improve identification of exchange sex in the substance use treatment setting and referral to targeted interventions to reduce associated risk

Condom · Family medicine · Logistic regression · Psychiatry · Purchasing · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Demography · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · Medicine · Sex work and related issues · Internal Medicine