Chemsex Practices and Health-Related Quality of Life in Spanish Men with HIV Who Have Sex with Men

Ruiz‐Robledillo, Nicolás; Portilla-Tamarit, Irene; Alcocer-Bruno, Cristian; Clement‐Carbonell, Violeta; Portilla, J.

doi:10.3390/jcm10081662

Cited by 23 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…The overall prevalence of chemsex participation among MSM varies widely with one meta-analysis estimating an overall prevalence of 2–28% ( 27 ). Conversely, Ruiz-Robledillo et al reported higher rates of chemsex among PrEP users in Spain at 40.6 and 63%, respectively ( 28 , 29 ). However, chemsex was less frequent (13%) in our study population and only 1 patient reported intravenous recreational drug usage.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Real-life cohort experience after implementing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis for one year in northwest Spain

Pérez-González

Represa²,

Coll³

et al. 2022

Front. Public Health

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IntroductionPre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has become a useful tool to reduce the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in key populations. In this article we assessed the effectiveness, safety, adherence, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) dynamics, and frequency of anal dysplasia among a real-life cohort of PrEP users in Northwest Spain.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was undertaken in the Alvaro-Cunqueiro Hospital, Vigo which included every individual who started daily emtricitabine/tenofovir-disoproxil-fumarate (FTC/TDF) between November-2019 and October-2021. Clinical and epidemiological data were obtained from the patient's medical records. The effectiveness and safety of FTC/TDF were assessed by HIV serology and renal function monitoring every 3 months. Anal, urethral, and oropharyngeal exudates were collected quarterly after the baseline visit.ResultsA total of 126 individuals were considered eligible, most of the participants had previously been diagnosed with a STI (60.3%), 22% had consumed recreational drugs in the year prior, and 13% had engaged in chemsex. At the end of the follow-up, no cases of HIV infection were detected; 3 patients had discontinued FTC/TDF because of side effects but none of them had presented renal toxicity. In addition, the diagnosis of STIs during the follow-up was common (100 cases in 54 patients). Moreover, engagement in chemsex was more common within this latter group (22 vs. 6%, p = 0.013). Among the study population included in the anal screening programme, the frequency of dysplasia was 9%.ConclusionsFTC/TDF was effective, safe, and tolerable in a real-life cohort; adherence remained high throughout the study period (79%). However, a high number of STIs were diagnosed, especially among patients who engaged in chemsex.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Real-life cohort experience after implementing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis for one year in northwest Spain

Pérez-González

Represa²,

Coll³

et al. 2022

Front. Public Health

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“…This ensures that people are prepared to participate in a wide range of sexual acts, which sometimes go beyond their limits [ 2 ]. Chemsex has been associated with high-risk sexual behaviors, including group sex; condomless anal intercourse; fisting; bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism; having a high number of sexual partners; long sexual sessions that can lead to rectal and penile trauma; and transactional sex [ 2 , 7 , 18 , 26 , 63 , 66 , 72 , 73 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Intervention Mapping to Develop an mHealth Intervention to Support Men Who Have Sex With Men Engaging in Chemsex (Budd): Development and Usability Study

Herrijgers¹,

Platteau²,

Vandebosch³

et al. 2022

JMIR Res Protoc

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Background Chemsex refers to the intentional use of drugs before or during sex among men who have sex with men (MSM). Engaging in chemsex has been linked to significant negative impacts on physical, psychological, and social well-being. However, no evidence-based support tools have addressed either these harms or the care needs of MSM who engage in chemsex. Objective The purpose of this paper was to describe the development of a mobile health intervention (named Budd) using the intervention mapping protocol (IMP). Budd aims to support and inform MSM who participate in chemsex, reduce the negative impacts associated with chemsex, and encourage more reasoned participation. Methods The IMP consists of 6 steps to develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based health interventions. A needs assessment was carried out between September 2, 2019, and March 31, 2020, by conducting a literature study and in-depth interviews. Change objectives were selected based on these findings, after which theory-based intervention methods were selected. The first version of the intervention was developed in December 2020 and pilot-tested between February 1, 2021, and April 30, 2021. Adjustments were made based on the findings from this study. A separate article will be dedicated to the effectiveness study, conducted between October 15, 2021, and February 24, 2022, and implementation of the intervention. The Budd app went live in April 2022. Results Budd aims to address individual factors and support chemsex participants in applying harm reduction measures when taking drugs (drug information, drug combination tool, and notebook), preparing for participation in a chemsex session (articles on chemsex, preparation tool, and event-specific checklist), planning sufficient time after a chemsex session to recover (planning tool), seeking support for their chemsex participation (overview of existing local health care and peer support services, reflection, personal statistics, and user testimonials), taking HIV medication or pre-exposure prophylaxis in a timely manner during a chemsex session (preparation tool), and contacting emergency services in case of an emergency and giving first aid to others (emergency information and personal buddy). Conclusions The IMP proved to be a valuable tool in the planning and development of the Budd app. This study provides researchers and practitioners with valuable information that may help them to set up their own health interventions. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR1-10.2196/39678

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“…On another note, it is crucial to remember that HIV remains a global health issue, especially among the MSM population. Despite the progress made with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a false sense of confidence has led to the neglect of barrier methods during sexual relations, resulting in an increase in other STIs such as gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis, urethritis, chlamydia, and genital warts [ 11 , 18 ]. The prevalence of “chemsex” among HIV-infected MSM is high, and conversely, the prevalence is lower among stable partners [ 8 , 16 , 18 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexualized Drug Use and Chemsex among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Europe: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Coronado-Muñoz,

García-Cabrera,

Quintero-Flórez

et al. 2024

JCM

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Background: In recent years, in Europe, there has been a growing concern about the use of sexualized drugs among men who have sex with men (MSM), due to its possible link to an increase in sexually transmitted infections. The aim of this review is to study the prevalence of chemsex, and the sexualized drug used in Europe, describing both different consumption patterns and other sexual behaviors considered risky and their possible relationship with positivity in diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency virus. Methods: We conducted a literature review in the main scientific databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science), filtering for articles published between January 2018 and April 2023 that collect information on sexualized drug use and sexual practices conducted in European countries among men who have sex with men, including whether these behaviors can lead to diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections. Results: The definition of drugs included in chemsex is not clearly defined and shows heterogeneity between study publications; the three drugs presented in all manuscripts are mephedrone, GHB/GBL, and crystal methamphetamine. The prevalence of chemsex in Europe is 16% [11–21%] among MSM. The most frequent risky sexual behavior associated with chemsex practice was unprotected sex with a high number of partners. The log risk ratio of STIs was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.49 to 1.23). Conclusions: Adherence to definitions, stringent research methodologies, and focused interventions are needed to tackle the intricate relationship between substance use, sexual behavior, and the risk of HIV/STI transmission in MSM.

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Chemsex Practices and Health-Related Quality of Life in Spanish Men with HIV Who Have Sex with Men

Cited by 23 publications

References 67 publications

Real-life cohort experience after implementing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis for one year in northwest Spain

Real-life cohort experience after implementing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis for one year in northwest Spain

Using Intervention Mapping to Develop an mHealth Intervention to Support Men Who Have Sex With Men Engaging in Chemsex (Budd): Development and Usability Study

Sexualized Drug Use and Chemsex among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Europe: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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