Prevalence and correlates of alcohol use among a sample of general MSM and money boys in Shanghai, China

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Eric Nehl, Emory University; Frank Wong, Emory University; Naying He, Emory University; Z. Jennifer Huang, Georgetown University; Tony Zheng, Shanghai Piaoxue Cultural Media Ltd
• Language: English
• Date: 2012-01-01
• Publisher: Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2012 Taylor & Francis
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2011.608792
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: AIDS Care: Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV
• Volume: 24
• Issue: 3
• Start Page: 324
• End Page: 330
• Grant/Funding Information: None declared
• Keywords: Psychology; Biomedical Social Sciences; Drug-use; Health Policy & Services; Male migrants; Men; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Health; Science & Technology; China; Health Care Sciences & Services; Sex; Population; Social Sciences; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Urban; MSM; Psychology, Multidisciplinary; Latino gay; Respiratory System; HIV Risks; alcohol; Social Sciences, Biomedical; Substance use
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Education, Health; Health Sciences, Epidemiology; Psychology, Behavioral

Abstract

The use and misuse of alcohol and their relation to risky sex have received modest scholarly attention in China. This type of research in high HIV/STI groups such as men who have sex with men (general MSM) and men who sell sex to other men ("money boys") (MB) in China is essentially absent. Therefore, the primary purpose of this exploratory study was to describe the types of alcohol consumed and levels of daily alcohol consumption among Chinese general MSM and MB in Shanghai, China. A secondary purpose was to explore demographic, lifetime sexual behavior, and psychosocial correlates of daily consumption levels. The sample consisted of 404 MSM (200 MB) who live in Shanghai, China. Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling and filled out a cross-sectional behavioral survey. Where appropriate, comparisons were made between MB and general MSM. Over 73% of participants reported drinking at least moderately every day. MB reported drinking Western red wine and other Western hard liquors (e.g., vodka) more frequently than general MSM. Conversely, general MSM consumed Chinese white wine more frequently than MB. Results from the regression analyses showed that MSM having higher lifetime sexual risks were more likely to drink in excess; though MB with greater social provisions were less likely to drink in excess. These results begin to highlight high levels of drinking and drinking-sexual risk relationships among groups of general MSM and MB and are useful for guiding intervention efforts among high-risk groups in China.