Methamphetamine use and adoption of preventive behaviors early in the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, California

BACKGROUND: Methamphetamine (MA) use increased during COVID-19, with men who have sex with men (MSM) exhibiting 3-fold greater use than heterosexual men. Understanding links between reported MA use and COVID-19 prevention behaviors among MSM can inform current transmission risks for HIV, Monkeypox, and other infectious diseases. METHODS: This study assesses relationships between self-reported pattern of MA use (past six months; past two weeks) and reported COVID-19 preventive behaviors, adjusting for participant characteristics (HIV serostatus, race/ethnicity, employment and housing stability), in a cohort of ethnically diverse MSM in Los Angeles, California, between April 1 and September 30, 2020. RESULTS: Compared to those who reported no MA use, MSM who reported weekly or more MA use in the past six months were significantly less likely to use COVID-19 protective behaviors of physical distancing (61.8% vs. 81.6%; AOR = 0.39, 95% CI [0.19, 0.81]), of avoiding public transportation (34.5% vs. 60.3%; AOR = 0.42, 95% CI [0.21, 0.83]) and of avoiding traveling overall (32.7% vs. 62.6%; AOR = 0.32, 95% CI [0.16, 0.63]). Parallel findings were observed in analyses of past two-week reported MA use and COVID-19 protective behaviors. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight ways in which reported MA use frequency links with avoidance of reported preventive behaviors for COVID-19 in urban diverse MSM. Findings also provide evidence to guide public health interventions in future outbreaks of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases among MSM.