Grant Colfax
Biographic Data
| ID | 6063083 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Grant Colfax |
| GIVEN NAMES | Grant |
| FAMILY NAME | Colfax |
| SIGNATURE | COLFAX G |
| AFFILIATIONS | San Francisco Department of Public Health |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 27 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 50 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 27 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1998 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2014 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Adapted Personalized Cognitive Counseling for Episodic Substance-Using Men Who Have Sex with Men
Correlates of HIV Infection Among Transfemales, San Francisco, 2010
Objectives. We evaluated the use of respondent-driven sampling (RDS) among a high-risk population of transfemales. We also obtained up-to-date epidemiological data on HIV infection and related correlates among this population. Methods. We evaluated the utility of RDS in recruiting a sample of 314 transfemales in San Francisco, California, from August to December 2010 by examining patterns of recruitment and assessing network sizes and equilibrium…
Correlates of Unprotected Vaginal or Anal Intercourse with Women Among Substance-Using Men Who Have Sex with Men
Implementing Rapid HIV Testing With or Without Risk-Reduction Counseling in Drug Treatment Centers
Objectives. We examined the effectiveness of risk reduction counseling and the role of on-site HIV testing in drug treatment. Methods. Between January and May 2009, we randomized 1281 HIV-negative (or status unknown) adults who reported no past-year HIV testing to (1) referral for off-site HIV testing, (2) HIV risk-reduction counseling with on-site rapid HIV testing, or (3) verbal information about testing only with on-site rapid HIV testing. Res…
Depression is Associated with Sexual Risk Among Men Who Have Sex with Men, but is Mediated by Cognitive Escape and Self-Efficacy
HIV seroadaptation among individuals, within sexual dyads, and by sexual episodes, men who have sex with men, San Francisco, 2008
"Seroadaptation" comprises sexual behaviors to reduce the risk of HIV acquisition and transmission based on knowing one's own and one's sexual partners' serostatus. We measured the prevalence of seroadaptive behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) recruited through time-location sampling (TLS) across three perspectives: by individuals (N = 1207 MSM), among sexual dyads (N = 3746 partnerships), and for sexual episodes (N = 63,789 episodes)…
Interventions for Non-Injection Substance Use Among US Men Who Have Sex with Men
Men who have sex with men (MSM) remain disproportionately infected with HIV. MSM accounted for 53% of the 56,300 new HIV infections in the US in 2006, despite representing only 4% of the national male population [1, 2]. This high HIV disease burden coincides with high prevalence of non-injection substance use and alcohol consumption among US MSM. A national MSM sample found a 42% previous year prevalence for any non-injection substance use [3]. T…
Using Social Networks to Reach Black MSM for HIV Testing and Linkage to Care
Behavior, Intention or Chance? A Longitudinal Study of HIV Seroadaptive Behaviors, Abstinence and Condom Use
Syringe Disposal Among Injection Drug Users in San Francisco
To assess the prevalence of improperly discarded syringes and to examine syringe disposal practices of injection drug users (IDUs) in San Francisco, we visually inspected 1000 random city blocks and conducted a survey of 602 IDUs. We found 20 syringes on the streets we inspected. IDUs reported disposing of 13% of syringes improperly. In multivariate analysis, obtaining syringes from syringe exchange programs was found to be protective against imp…
Decreases in Community Viral Load Are Accompanied by Reductions in New HIV Infections in San Francisco
BACKGROUND: At the individual level, higher HIV viral load predicts sexual transmission risk. We evaluated San Francisco's community viral load (CVL) as a population level marker of HIV transmission risk. We hypothesized that the decrease in CVL in San Francisco from 2004-2008, corresponding with increased rates of HIV testing, antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage and effectiveness, and population-level virologic suppression, would be associated…
Contingency management to reduce methamphetamine use and sexual risk among men who have sex with men
While it is possible to enroll and retain MSM who use methamphetamine in a trial of CM conducted outside drug treatment, our data suggest that CM is not likely to have a large, sustained effect on methamphetamine use
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Seroadaptive and Serodisclosure Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex with Men
Affective Correlates of Stimulant Use and Adherence to Anti-retroviral Therapy Among HIV-positive Methamphetamine Users
The use of stimulants has important implications for HIV prevention and care. However, few investigations have examined psychological correlates of substance use and adherence to anti-retroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-positive stimulant users. This cross-sectional investigation examined affective correlates of stimulant use and ART adherence among HIV-positive methamphetamine users. In total, 122 HIV-positive men who have sex with men or transge…
Written Informed Consent and Hiv Testing Rates
Goldman et al. posit without empirical evidence that written informed consent is not a barrier to routine HIV testing.1 Our experience in San Francisco, California, suggests otherwise. In May 2006, the San Francisco Department of Public Health Medical Care System, which includes an acute care hospital, a long-term care facility, and more than 15 primary health care centers, eliminated the requirement for a separate written informed consent form f…
Factors Associated with Sexual Risk Behavior Among Persons Living with HIV
Tripling of Methamphetamine/Amphetamine Use among Homeless and Marginally Housed Persons, 1996–2003
Risk factors for HIV infection among men who have sex with men
OBJECTIVES: Risk factors for HIV acquisition were examined in a recent cohort of men who have sex with men (MSM). DESIGN: A longitudinal analysis of 4295 HIV-negative MSM enrolled in a randomized behavioral intervention trial conducted in six US cities. METHODS: MSM were enrolled and assessed for HIV infection and risk behaviors semi-annually, up to 48 months. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, men reporting four or more male sex partners, unprot…
Communication of HIV viral load to guide sexual risk decisions with serodiscordant partners among San Francisco men who have sex with men
The objective of this study was to estimate frequency and correlates of discussing HIV viral load (VL) with serodiscordant sex partners to guide decisions about sexual activities among men who have sex with men (MSM). We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 573 San Francisco MSM. Among 507 who knew their HIV status, 397 (78%) were familiar with the term 'viral load', and half (n=199) had a serodiscordant partner in the prior year. These 199 resp…
Longitudinal Patterns of Methamphetamine, Popper (Amyl Nitrite), and Cocaine Use and High-Risk Sexual Behavior Among a Cohort of San Francisco Men Who Have Sex with Men
Substance Use and Sexual Risk
Prior reports associating substance use with sexual risk behavior have generally used summary measures and have not adjusted for participants' background levels of substance use. In this 1999-2001 US study (the EXPLORE study), the authors determined whether substance use during sex was independently associated with sexual risk during recent sexual episodes, as reported by 4,295 human immunodeficiency virus-negative men who have sex with men. The …
An Individually Tailored Intervention for HIV Prevention
Objectives. We describe the intervention tested in EXPLORE, an HIV prevention trial aimed at men who have sex with men (MSM), and test the empirical basis of the individually tailored intervention. Methods. Data on participants’ self-efficacy, communication skills, social norms, and enjoyment of unprotected anal intercourse were examined in relation to sexual risk. Combinations of these factors, together with alcohol use and noninjection drug use…
‘Barebacking’ in a diverse sample of men who have sex with men
OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of and factors associated with "Barebacking" as a sociocultural phenomenon in a sample of HIV-positive and -negative men who have sex with men (MSM), and to assess the reasons for barebacking and venues for meeting partners. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey of MSM recruited in the San Francisco Bay Area from July 2000 to February 2001. METHODS: Barebacking, defined as "intentional anal sex without a condom wit…
What happened to home HIV test collection kits? Intent to use kits, actual use, and barriers to use among persons at risk for HIV infection
Through sequential cross-sectional surveys, we examined intent to use home HIV test collection kits, actual use and barriers to use among persons at high risk for HIV infection. Interest in kits was assessed in the 1995-96 HIV Testing Survey (HITS, n=1683). Kit use, knowledge of kits and barriers to use were assessed in the 1998-99 HITS (n=1788), after kits had become widely available. When asked to choose among future testing options, 19% of 199…
Drug Use and Sexual Risk Behavior Among Gay and Bisexual Men Who Attend Circuit Parties
CONTEXT: HIV risk behavior among urban gay/bisexual men has recently increased. High-risk sexual activity and drug use may be particularly high during circuit party (CP) weekends, during which gay/bisexual men congregate for social activities and dancing. OBJECTIVES: To compare prevalence of risk behaviors during CP weekends with those during non-CP weekends. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: 295 gay/bisexual men from the San Francisco…
Longitudinal Patterns of Methamphetamine, Popper (Amyl Nitrite), and Cocaine Use and High-Risk Sexual Behavior Among a Cohort of San Francisco Men Who Have Sex with Men
An Individually Tailored Intervention for HIV Prevention
Objectives. We describe the intervention tested in EXPLORE, an HIV prevention trial aimed at men who have sex with men (MSM), and test the empirical basis of the individually tailored intervention. Methods. Data on participants’ self-efficacy, communication skills, social norms, and enjoyment of unprotected anal intercourse were examined in relation to sexual risk. Combinations of these factors, together with alcohol use and noninjection drug use…
Implementing Rapid HIV Testing With or Without Risk-Reduction Counseling in Drug Treatment Centers
Objectives. We examined the effectiveness of risk reduction counseling and the role of on-site HIV testing in drug treatment. Methods. Between January and May 2009, we randomized 1281 HIV-negative (or status unknown) adults who reported no past-year HIV testing to (1) referral for off-site HIV testing, (2) HIV risk-reduction counseling with on-site rapid HIV testing, or (3) verbal information about testing only with on-site rapid HIV testing. Res…
Correlates of HIV Infection Among Transfemales, San Francisco, 2010
Objectives. We evaluated the use of respondent-driven sampling (RDS) among a high-risk population of transfemales. We also obtained up-to-date epidemiological data on HIV infection and related correlates among this population. Methods. We evaluated the utility of RDS in recruiting a sample of 314 transfemales in San Francisco, California, from August to December 2010 by examining patterns of recruitment and assessing network sizes and equilibrium…
Tripling of Methamphetamine/Amphetamine Use among Homeless and Marginally Housed Persons, 1996–2003
Health benefits and risks of reporting HIV-infected individuals by name
With more treatment options emerging for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the policy of reporting HIV-infected individuals by name merits reevaluation. This paper reviews the benefits and risks of name reporting of persons infected with HIV. Public health departments have linked name reporting with medical referrals, risk reduction counseling, and partner notification programs. Yet some studies indicate that people are less likely to…
Written Informed Consent and Hiv Testing Rates
Goldman et al. posit without empirical evidence that written informed consent is not a barrier to routine HIV testing.1 Our experience in San Francisco, California, suggests otherwise. In May 2006, the San Francisco Department of Public Health Medical Care System, which includes an acute care hospital, a long-term care facility, and more than 15 primary health care centers, eliminated the requirement for a separate written informed consent form f…
Health benefits and risks of reporting HIV-infected individuals by name
With more treatment options emerging for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, the policy of reporting HIV-infected individuals by name merits reevaluation. This paper reviews the benefits and risks of name reporting of persons infected with HIV. Public health departments have linked name reporting with medical referrals, risk reduction counseling, and partner notification programs. Yet some studies indicate that people are less likely to…
Colfax and Bindman Respond
Colfax and Bindman Respond Grant Nash Colfax, and Andrew B. Bindman P M Wortley, J S Lehman, and P L FlemingCopyRight https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.89.8.1272 Published Online: October 07, 2011
Drug Use and Sexual Risk Behavior Among Gay and Bisexual Men Who Attend Circuit Parties
CONTEXT: HIV risk behavior among urban gay/bisexual men has recently increased. High-risk sexual activity and drug use may be particularly high during circuit party (CP) weekends, during which gay/bisexual men congregate for social activities and dancing. OBJECTIVES: To compare prevalence of risk behaviors during CP weekends with those during non-CP weekends. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: 295 gay/bisexual men from the San Francisco…
‘Barebacking’ in a diverse sample of men who have sex with men
OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of and factors associated with "Barebacking" as a sociocultural phenomenon in a sample of HIV-positive and -negative men who have sex with men (MSM), and to assess the reasons for barebacking and venues for meeting partners. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey of MSM recruited in the San Francisco Bay Area from July 2000 to February 2001. METHODS: Barebacking, defined as "intentional anal sex without a condom wit…
What happened to home HIV test collection kits? Intent to use kits, actual use, and barriers to use among persons at risk for HIV infection
Through sequential cross-sectional surveys, we examined intent to use home HIV test collection kits, actual use and barriers to use among persons at high risk for HIV infection. Interest in kits was assessed in the 1995-96 HIV Testing Survey (HITS, n=1683). Kit use, knowledge of kits and barriers to use were assessed in the 1998-99 HITS (n=1788), after kits had become widely available. When asked to choose among future testing options, 19% of 199…
An Individually Tailored Intervention for HIV Prevention
Objectives. We describe the intervention tested in EXPLORE, an HIV prevention trial aimed at men who have sex with men (MSM), and test the empirical basis of the individually tailored intervention. Methods. Data on participants’ self-efficacy, communication skills, social norms, and enjoyment of unprotected anal intercourse were examined in relation to sexual risk. Combinations of these factors, together with alcohol use and noninjection drug use…
Substance Use and Sexual Risk
Prior reports associating substance use with sexual risk behavior have generally used summary measures and have not adjusted for participants' background levels of substance use. In this 1999-2001 US study (the EXPLORE study), the authors determined whether substance use during sex was independently associated with sexual risk during recent sexual episodes, as reported by 4,295 human immunodeficiency virus-negative men who have sex with men. The …
Longitudinal Patterns of Methamphetamine, Popper (Amyl Nitrite), and Cocaine Use and High-Risk Sexual Behavior Among a Cohort of San Francisco Men Who Have Sex with Men
Risk factors for HIV infection among men who have sex with men
OBJECTIVES: Risk factors for HIV acquisition were examined in a recent cohort of men who have sex with men (MSM). DESIGN: A longitudinal analysis of 4295 HIV-negative MSM enrolled in a randomized behavioral intervention trial conducted in six US cities. METHODS: MSM were enrolled and assessed for HIV infection and risk behaviors semi-annually, up to 48 months. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, men reporting four or more male sex partners, unprot…
Communication of HIV viral load to guide sexual risk decisions with serodiscordant partners among San Francisco men who have sex with men
The objective of this study was to estimate frequency and correlates of discussing HIV viral load (VL) with serodiscordant sex partners to guide decisions about sexual activities among men who have sex with men (MSM). We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 573 San Francisco MSM. Among 507 who knew their HIV status, 397 (78%) were familiar with the term 'viral load', and half (n=199) had a serodiscordant partner in the prior year. These 199 resp…
Factors Associated with Sexual Risk Behavior Among Persons Living with HIV
Tripling of Methamphetamine/Amphetamine Use among Homeless and Marginally Housed Persons, 1996–2003
Written Informed Consent and Hiv Testing Rates
Goldman et al. posit without empirical evidence that written informed consent is not a barrier to routine HIV testing.1 Our experience in San Francisco, California, suggests otherwise. In May 2006, the San Francisco Department of Public Health Medical Care System, which includes an acute care hospital, a long-term care facility, and more than 15 primary health care centers, eliminated the requirement for a separate written informed consent form f…
Affective Correlates of Stimulant Use and Adherence to Anti-retroviral Therapy Among HIV-positive Methamphetamine Users
The use of stimulants has important implications for HIV prevention and care. However, few investigations have examined psychological correlates of substance use and adherence to anti-retroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-positive stimulant users. This cross-sectional investigation examined affective correlates of stimulant use and ART adherence among HIV-positive methamphetamine users. In total, 122 HIV-positive men who have sex with men or transge…
Decreases in Community Viral Load Are Accompanied by Reductions in New HIV Infections in San Francisco
BACKGROUND: At the individual level, higher HIV viral load predicts sexual transmission risk. We evaluated San Francisco's community viral load (CVL) as a population level marker of HIV transmission risk. We hypothesized that the decrease in CVL in San Francisco from 2004-2008, corresponding with increased rates of HIV testing, antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage and effectiveness, and population-level virologic suppression, would be associated…
Contingency management to reduce methamphetamine use and sexual risk among men who have sex with men
While it is possible to enroll and retain MSM who use methamphetamine in a trial of CM conducted outside drug treatment, our data suggest that CM is not likely to have a large, sustained effect on methamphetamine use
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Seroadaptive and Serodisclosure Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex with Men
Depression is Associated with Sexual Risk Among Men Who Have Sex with Men, but is Mediated by Cognitive Escape and Self-Efficacy
HIV seroadaptation among individuals, within sexual dyads, and by sexual episodes, men who have sex with men, San Francisco, 2008
"Seroadaptation" comprises sexual behaviors to reduce the risk of HIV acquisition and transmission based on knowing one's own and one's sexual partners' serostatus. We measured the prevalence of seroadaptive behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) recruited through time-location sampling (TLS) across three perspectives: by individuals (N = 1207 MSM), among sexual dyads (N = 3746 partnerships), and for sexual episodes (N = 63,789 episodes)…
Interventions for Non-Injection Substance Use Among US Men Who Have Sex with Men
Men who have sex with men (MSM) remain disproportionately infected with HIV. MSM accounted for 53% of the 56,300 new HIV infections in the US in 2006, despite representing only 4% of the national male population [1, 2]. This high HIV disease burden coincides with high prevalence of non-injection substance use and alcohol consumption among US MSM. A national MSM sample found a 42% previous year prevalence for any non-injection substance use [3]. T…
Using Social Networks to Reach Black MSM for HIV Testing and Linkage to Care
Behavior, Intention or Chance? A Longitudinal Study of HIV Seroadaptive Behaviors, Abstinence and Condom Use
Syringe Disposal Among Injection Drug Users in San Francisco
To assess the prevalence of improperly discarded syringes and to examine syringe disposal practices of injection drug users (IDUs) in San Francisco, we visually inspected 1000 random city blocks and conducted a survey of 602 IDUs. We found 20 syringes on the streets we inspected. IDUs reported disposing of 13% of syringes improperly. In multivariate analysis, obtaining syringes from syringe exchange programs was found to be protective against imp…
Correlates of Unprotected Vaginal or Anal Intercourse with Women Among Substance-Using Men Who Have Sex with Men
Implementing Rapid HIV Testing With or Without Risk-Reduction Counseling in Drug Treatment Centers
Objectives. We examined the effectiveness of risk reduction counseling and the role of on-site HIV testing in drug treatment. Methods. Between January and May 2009, we randomized 1281 HIV-negative (or status unknown) adults who reported no past-year HIV testing to (1) referral for off-site HIV testing, (2) HIV risk-reduction counseling with on-site rapid HIV testing, or (3) verbal information about testing only with on-site rapid HIV testing. Res…
Medicine (27 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (25 works) · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk (19 works) · Men who have sex with men (17 works) · Psychiatry (16 works) · Family medicine (15 works) · Demography (14 works) · Environmental health (12 works) · Psychology (12 works) · Public health (12 works)