Patricia Ann Clubb, PhD¹, Dorothy C. Browne, DrPH¹, Yan Wang, MD², and Fernando A. Wagner, ScD, MPH². (1) Drug Abuse Research Program, Morgan State University, 1700 E Cold Spring Lane, Montebello Building, Room D103, Baltimore, MD 21251, 443-885-4030, DrDotBrowne@aol.com, (2) Drug Abuse Research Program and Public Health Program, Morgan State University, 1700 E Cold Spring Lane, Montebello Building, Room D103, Baltimore, MD 21251

Recent research has investigated the relationship between drug use and sexual identity among college students. These studies provide evidence for a higher prevalence of drug use among some subgroups; however, it is important to consider gender, the type of substance, and whether individuals have engaged in sex with opposite-sex partners, with same-sex partners, or with both-sex partners (Boyd, McCabe & d’Arcy, 2003; Eisenberg & Wechsler, 2003). To date, analyses have focused on predominantly white samples of college students. The current investigation expands this work by analyzing data collected from African-American college freshmen who participated in the 2001 Historically Black Colleges and Universities Substance Use Survey. Paper-and-pencil surveys were completed by students at 40 HBCU’s during freshmen orientation sessions. Analyses were restricted to African-American males and were based on two groups of participants, including 128 men who reported having sexual partners that were bisexual and 752 men who reported only having sex with heterosexual partners. Conditional logistic regressions predicting lifetime drug use were conducted in which the two groups of interest were matched on the basis of family income and the school attended. The likelihood of lifetime tobacco use and marijuana use did not differ between the two groups, nor did the two groups differ in the likelihood of using drugs before or during sexual activities. However, men with bisexual partners were more likely than men with heterosexual partners to engage in use of an illicit drug other than marijuana during their lifetime (OR = 3.59, 95% CI: 1.41, 9.17).

Learning Objectives:

• Upon completion of this presentation, this audience will be able to discuss the extent to which the gender of sexual partners are related to drug use among African-American college students.

Keywords: College Students, Drug Use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.