Introduction: Chemsex, a recreational and occasional activity for the majority of gay, bisexual, and other
men who have sex with men (GBMSM) who engage in it, has been associated with negative consequences
in various health spheres. However, there is scarce evidence regarding concerns about drug use
among chemsex users. Objectives: To estimate the proportion of GBMSM engaged in chemsex who are
concerned about their drug use and identify its main determinants, as well as the drugs associated with
greater concern. Materials and Methods: An online study was conducted between May and July 2020,
analyzing 779 GBMSM engaged in chemsex sessions in the last 12 months. The prevalence of concern
about drug use was estimated, and a multivariate analysis was performed to identify associated factors
using Poisson regression with robust variance. Results: Concern about drug use in the last 12 months
(31.6%) was independently associated with being under 40 years old, having paid for sex, the use of
drugs most associated with chemsex practice, as well as regular drug use and drug injection in any circumstance.
Methamphetamine and mephedrone were the drugs that most concerned chemsex users.
Conclusion: These results show the need to implement measures aimed at identifying and promoting
the access of chemsex users concerned about their drug use to social and health resources. Likewise, it
is important to increase awareness about the risks associated with drug use in this population, especially
among users with potentially problematic patterns such as regular or injecting drug use.
Authors
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David Guede
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Juan-Miguel Guerras
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Paule González-Recio
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Marta Donat
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Juan Hoyos
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Almudena Moreno
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David Palma
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María-José Belza
Keywords:
Chemsex; drug use; concern; GBMSM.