Can herbal supplements be employed to close the treatment gap for hazardous alcohol use? Interest in alternative treatments among Men who have Sex with Men in a cross-sectional study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Hazardous alcohol consumption is highly prevalent for men who have sex with men (MSM). The current 4 FDA-approved treatments for alcohol use are reaching an alarmingly low percentage of people who would benefit from a reduction in their alcohol use. There is increasing interest in alternative methods of treatment, such as herbal supplements, to address hazardous drinking. However, research on the acceptability of alternative pharmacotherapies among MSM remains limited. OBJECTIVE We examined the prevalence and correlates of expressing interest in using herbal supplements for alcohol treatment among MSM with hazardous alcohol consumption. METHODS We used data from a cross-sectional study of alcohol-using MSM conducted from March 2015 to July 2017 in San Francisco, CA, to assess the overall prevalence of interest in using herbal supplements to help reduce alcohol consumption. Associations between expressing interest in herbal supplements and demographic, social, and clinical characteristics were examined using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression RESULTS One-third (33%) of 200 participants expressed interest in an herbal supplement for reducing alcohol consumption. In the multivariable analyses, weekly binge drinking (aOR = 2.85; 95% CI = 1.17 - 6.93), interest in abstaining from alcohol use (aOR = 5.04; 95% CI = 1.46 - 17.40), higher severity of alcohol dependence score (aOR = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.04 - 1.41), and interest in naltrexone (aOR = 3.22; 95% CI = 2.12 - 4.91) were independently associated with higher odds of being interested in using an herbal supplement to reduce alcohol consumption, adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and education. CONCLUSIONS We found that MSM who have hazardous drinking habits, more severe alcohol dependence, and interest in pharmacotherapy were more likely to express interest in using an herbal supplement for reducing alcohol consumption. To our knowledge, this is the first study that has evaluated correlates of interest in herbal supplements for alcohol use among MSM. As researchers implement novel alcohol treatment studies, they should focus on recruitment efforts among MSM with a motivation to reduce their alcohol use patterns.