TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of methamphetamine use on the sexual lives of gender and sexually diverse people in Dhaka, Bangladesh
T2 - A qualitative study
AU - Khan, Sharful Islam
AU - Khan, Mohammad Niaz Morshed
AU - Irfan, Samira Dishti
AU - Rumayan Hasan, A. M.
AU - Ross, Allen G.
AU - Horng, Lily Ming Sha
AU - Lachowsky, Nathan
AU - Knudson, Gail
AU - Azim, Tasnim
N1 - Funding Information:
This research protocol was funded by National Institute of Health Fogarty Global Health Program and Stanford University, Stanford, CA. icddr,b greatly acknowledges with gratitude the commitment of the Governments of Bangladesh, Canada, Sweden, and the UK for providing core/unrestricted support. The funding for this study came from the National Institute of Health (NIH) Fogarty Global Health Program for this research through grant R25 TW009338 FIC NIH. This research was carried with a sub-award from Stanford University, CA, USA (number 61056084-105415-E). The funding source was not involved in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, report writing and the decision to submit this article for publication.
Funding Information:
This research protocol was funded by National Institute of Health Fogarty Global Health Program and Stanford University, Stanford, CA. icddr,b greatly acknowledges with gratitude the commitment of the Governments of Bangladesh, Canada, Sweden, and the UK for providing core/unrestricted support. The funding for this study came from the National Institute of Health (NIH) Fogarty Global Health Program for this research through grant R25 TW009338 FIC NIH. This research was carried with a sub-award from Stanford University, CA, USA (number 61056084-105415-E). The funding source was not involved in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, report writing and the decision to submit this article for publication.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2021/2
Y1 - 2021/2
N2 - Methamphetamine use has increased among gender and sexually diverse people in several countries, including Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore the effects of methamphetamine on the sexual lives of these people in Dhaka, Bangladesh. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted, comprising 30 in-depth interviews with gender and sexually diverse people including males having sex with males, male sex workers, and transgender women (hijra) under HIV intervention coverage. Ten key informant interviews were also conducted with individuals who have expertise in relevant disciplines such as drug use, harm reduction, and HIV and AIDS. Digitally recorded data were manually analyzed under the thematic analysis framework. Findings indicated that many participants reported that methamphetamine brought changes in their sexual lives such as increased sexual drive, engagement in group sex, the increased ability to perform serial sex, transactional sex, impulsive and coercive sex, initiation and switching of male-to-male sexual practices, and limited condom use. Key informants noted that there is a dearth of methamphetamine-related services in Bangladesh. Methamphetamine use was found to lead to diverse effects on the sexual lives of gender and sexually diverse people, thus making it a driving force for shaping sexual practices and, hence, sexual risks. Therefore, it is essential for policy-level stakeholders and program managers to consider the risks of methamphetamine use due to their negative ramifications on sexual health, including HIV risks.
AB - Methamphetamine use has increased among gender and sexually diverse people in several countries, including Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore the effects of methamphetamine on the sexual lives of these people in Dhaka, Bangladesh. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted, comprising 30 in-depth interviews with gender and sexually diverse people including males having sex with males, male sex workers, and transgender women (hijra) under HIV intervention coverage. Ten key informant interviews were also conducted with individuals who have expertise in relevant disciplines such as drug use, harm reduction, and HIV and AIDS. Digitally recorded data were manually analyzed under the thematic analysis framework. Findings indicated that many participants reported that methamphetamine brought changes in their sexual lives such as increased sexual drive, engagement in group sex, the increased ability to perform serial sex, transactional sex, impulsive and coercive sex, initiation and switching of male-to-male sexual practices, and limited condom use. Key informants noted that there is a dearth of methamphetamine-related services in Bangladesh. Methamphetamine use was found to lead to diverse effects on the sexual lives of gender and sexually diverse people, thus making it a driving force for shaping sexual practices and, hence, sexual risks. Therefore, it is essential for policy-level stakeholders and program managers to consider the risks of methamphetamine use due to their negative ramifications on sexual health, including HIV risks.
KW - Hijra
KW - Methamphetamine
KW - Sex workers
KW - Sexual behaviors
KW - Sexual orientation
KW - Transgender
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U2 - 10.1007/s10508-020-01674-2
DO - 10.1007/s10508-020-01674-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 32239362
AN - SCOPUS:85083162251
VL - 50
SP - 479
EP - 493
JO - Archives of Sexual Behavior: an interdisciplinary research journal
JF - Archives of Sexual Behavior: an interdisciplinary research journal
SN - 0004-0002
ER -
