Cathy J. Reback Senior Research Scientist Degree: Ph.D., Sociology, University of California, Santa Cruz Telephone: 323-463-1601 Fax: 323-463-0126 Email: reback@friendsresearch.org

Research Interests

Dr. Reback is a Research Sociologist; she joined the staff of Friends Research Institute in 1997.  Her research focuses on the intersection of HIV risk behaviors, substance use, sexual identity and gender identity.  Dr. Reback was one of the first researchers in the country to link the rise in HIV infection among gay and bisexual men to sexual risk behaviors engaged in while using methamphetamine.  Dr. Reback has an extensive background in conducting community-research collaborations, evaluating behavioral treatment therapies, designing and implementing street-based intervention programs for out-of-treatment substance users, and managing large-scale HIV prevention and intervention programs.  Additionally, Dr. Reback collaborates with local community-based organizations to adopt, tailor, and transfer evidenced-based interventions into public health and community settings.

Dr. Reback has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on ethnographic, intervention and epidemiological studies funded by NIDA, CSAT, CDC, CHRP (formerly UARP), California State Office of AIDS, and the City of Los Angeles.  Currently, Dr. Reback is Principal Investigator on a NIDA-funded study to assess the efficacy of a contingency management for increasing prosocial and healthy behavior and reducing substance abuse among non-treatment seeking substance users, a California HIV/AIDS Research Programs (CHRP)-funded study evaluating a combined evidenced-based cognitive behavioral therapy and contingency management intervention for producing sustained HIV sexual and drug risk reductions among gay and bisexual methamphetamine users (www.friendslabrea.org), and a CDC-funded study evaluating the feasibility and efficacy of an information technology (IT) communication intervention for out-of-treatment MSM methamphetamine users.  Additionally, Dr. Reback is the Director of six county and city-funded HIV risk reduction programs for gay, bisexual and MSM substance users and high-risk transgender women.

Dr. Reback’s community and policy work includes current and past membership on numerous local and national HIV/AIDS and substance abuse task forces and advisory committees.  In addition to her work with Friends Research Institute, Dr. Reback is an Associate Research Sociologist with UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (UCLA ISAP) and a Core Scientist with the UCLA Center for HIV Identification, Prevention and Treatment Services (UCLA CHIPTS).

Selected Publications

Reback, C.J., Kamien, J.B., & Amass, L. (2007).  Characteristics and HIV risk behaviors of homeless, substance-using men who have sex with men.  Addictive Behaviors, 32(3): 647-654.

Shoptaw, S. & Reback, C.J. (2007).  Methamphetamine Use and Infections Disease-related Behaviors in Men who have Sex with Men:  Implication for Interventions.  Addiction, 102(Suppl. 1): 130-135. 

Reback, C.J. & Larkins, S.  (2006).  Once in a Blue Moon:  Toward a Better Understanding of Heterosexually Identified Men who Have Sex with Men and/or Preoperative Transgender Women.  Report for the City of Los Angeles, AIDS Coordinator. Los Angeles.

Shoptaw, S. & Reback, C.J. (2006).  Associations between Methamphetamine Use and HIV Infection in Men who have Sex with Men: A Model for Guiding Public Policy.  Journal of Urban Health, 83(6): 1151-1157.

Peck, J.A., Shoptaw, S., Rotheram-Fuller, E., Reback, C.J., & Bierman, B. (2005). HIV-associated medical, behavioral, and psychiatric characteristics of treatment-seeking methamphetamine-dependent men who have sex with men.  Journal of Addictive Diseases, 24: 115-132.

Reback, C.J., Lombardi, E. Simon, P.A. & Frye, D.M. (2005).  HIV seroprevalence and risk behaviors among transgendered women who exchange sex in comparison with those who do not.  Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, 17: 5-22

Larkins, S., Reback, C.J., Shoptaw, S., Veniegas, R.C. (2005).  Disclosure of HIV status to sexual partners of methamphetamine-dependent gay men, AIDS Care. 17: 521-532.

Shoptaw, S., Reback, C.J., Peck, J.A., Yang, X., Rotheram-Fuller, E., Larkins, S., Veniegas, R.C., Freese, T.E. & Hucks-Ortiz, C. (2005).  Behavioral treatment approaches for methamphetamine dependence and HIV-related sexual risk behaviors among urban gay and bisexual men, Drug and Alcohol Dependence.  78:125-134.

Peck, J. A., Reback, C. J., Yang, X., Rotheram-Fuller, E., & Shoptaw, S.  (2005). Sustained reductions in drug use and depression symptoms from treatment for drug abuse in methamphetamine-dependent gay and bisexual men.  Journal of Urban Health. 82: 100-108.

Reback, C.J. & Simon, P.A. (2004).  The Los Angeles Transgender Health Study: Creating a research and community collaboration.  In B. Bowser, S. Mishra, C.J. Reback & G. Lemp (Eds), Preventing AIDS: Community-Science Collaborations.  New York: The Haworth Press, pp. 115-131.

Reback, C.J., Larkins, S. & Shoptaw, S. (2004).  Changes in the meaning of sexual risk behaviors among gay and bisexual male methamphetamine abusers before and after drug treatment.  AIDS and Behavior, 8: 87-98.

Reback, C.J., Larkins, S. & Shoptaw, S. (2003).  Methamphetamine abuse as a barrier to HIV medication adherence among gay and bisexual men.  AIDS Care, 15: 775-785.

Shoptaw, S., Peck, J.A., Reback, C.J. & Rotheram-Fuller, E. (2003).  Psychiatric and substance dependence comorbidities, sexually transmitted diseases, and risk behaviors among methamphetamine-dependent gay and bisexual men seeking outpatient drug abuse treatment.  Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, Supplement 1: 161-168.

Freese, T.E., Miotto, K. & Reback, C.J. (2002).  The effects and consequences of selected club drugs.  Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 23: 151-156.

Reback, C.J., Cohen, A.J., Freese, T.E. & Shoptaw, S. (2002).  Making collaboration work: Key components of practice/research partnerships.  Journal of Drug Issues, 32(3): 837-848.

Twitchell, G.R., Huber, A., Reback, C.J. & Shoptaw, S. (2002).  Comparison of general and detailed HIV risk assessments among methamphetamine abusers.  AIDS and Behavior, 6(2): 153-162.

Shoptaw, S., Reback, C.J., & Freese, T.E. (2002).  Patient characteristics, HIV serostatus, and risk behaviors among gay and bisexual males seeking treatment for methamphetamine abuse and dependence in Los Angeles.  Journal of Addictive Diseases, 21(1): 91-105.

Reback, C.J., Simon, P.A., Bemis, C.C. & Gatson, B. (2001).  The Los Angeles Transgender Health Study: Community Report. Report funded by the Universitywide AIDS Research Program.  Los Angeles.

Reback, C.J. & Lombardi, E.L. (2001).  HIV risk behaviors of male-to-female transgenders in a community-based harm reduction program.  In W. Bocking & S. Kirk (Eds.), Transgender and HIV:  Risks, Prevention, and Care.  New York:  The Haworth Press, pp. 59-68.

Simon, P.A., Reback, C.J., & Bemis, C.C. (2000).  HIV prevalence and incidence among male-to-female transgenders receiving HIV prevention services in Los Angeles County.  AIDS, 18:2953-2955.

Reback, C.J. & Lombardi, E.L. (1999).  HIV risk behaviors of male-to-female transgender participants in a community-based harm reduction program.  International Journal of Transgenderism, http://www.symposion.com/ijt/index.htm

Reback, C.J. & Grella, C.E. (1999).  HIV risk behaviors of gay and bisexual male methamphetamine users contacted through street outreach.  Journal of Drug Issues, 29:155-166.

Reback, C.J. (1997).  The Social Construction of a Gay Drug:  Methamphetamine Use Among Gay & Bisexual Males in Los Angeles.  Report for the City of Los Angeles, AIDS Coordinator.  Los Angeles. www.uclaisap.org

Shoptaw, S., Reback, C.J., Frosch, D.L. & Rawson, R.A. (1998).  Stimulant abuse treatment as HIV prevention.  Journal of Addictive Diseases, 17(4):19-32.

Reback, C.J. (1995).  Constructing the outreach moment:  Street interventions to women at risk.  In B. Schneider & N. Stoller (Eds.), Women Resisting AIDS: Feminist Strategies of Empowerment. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, pp. 170-191.