{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,25]],"date-time":"2026-10-25T02:08:58Z","timestamp":1792894138344,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"5","content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Sex Transm Infect"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2019,3,24]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2019,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title><jats:p>To understand how the emerging public health issue of chemsex relates to broader patterns of sexualised drug use (SDU) among men who have sex with men (MSM), which has been understudied.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Potential participants were invited to take part in an anonymous, cross-sectional online survey through Facebook advertising and community organisations\u2019 social media posts (April\u2013June 2018). Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare MSM who engaged in recent SDU (past 12 months) with those who did not, and those who engaged in chemsex (\u03b3-hydroxybutyrate\/\u03b3-butyrolactone, crystal methamphetamine, mephedrone, ketamine) with those who engaged in other SDU (eg, poppers, cocaine, cannabis).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Of the 1648 MSM included, 41% reported recent SDU; 15% of these (6% of total, n=99) reported chemsex. Factors associated with SDU were recent STI diagnosis (aOR=2.44, 95%\u2009CI 1.58 to 3.76), sexual health clinic attendance (aOR=2.46, 95%\u2009CI 1.90 to 3.20), image and performance-enhancing drug use (aOR=3.82, 95%\u2009CI 1.87 to 7.82), greater number of condomless anal male partners, lower satisfaction with life and greater sexual satisfaction. Predictors of chemsex compared with other SDU were not being UK-born (aOR=2.02, 95%\u2009CI 1.05 to 3.86), living in a densely populated area (aOR=2.69, 95%\u2009CI 1.26 to 5.74), low sexual self-efficacy (aOR=4.52, 95%\u2009CI 2.18 to 9.40) and greater number of condomless anal male partners. Living with HIV, taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and experiencing or being unsure of experiencing sexual contact without consent were significantly associated with SDU and chemsex in bivariate analyses but not in the multivariable.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Health and behavioural differences were observed between MSM engaging in chemsex, those engaging in SDU and those engaging in neither. While some MSM engaging in chemsex and SDU appeared content with these behaviours, the association with life satisfaction and sexual self-efficacy indicates psychosocial support is needed for some. The association with sexual risk and sexual consent also indicates the importance of promoting harm reduction among this population (eg, condoms, PrEP, drug knowledge).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2018-053933","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,4,12]],"date-time":"2019-04-12T21:16:25Z","timestamp":1555103785000},"page":"342-350","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":152,"title":["Psychosocial and sexual characteristics associated with sexualised drug use and chemsex among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the UK"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"95","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1759-455X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Matthew Peter","family":"Hibbert","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Caroline E","family":"Brett","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lorna A","family":"Porcellato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vivian D","family":"Hope","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,4,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1009516608672"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1300\/J082v41n02_02"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugpo.2018.02.002","article-title":"Sexualised drug use in the United Kingdom (UK): a review of the literature","volume":"55","author":"Edmundson","year":"2018","journal-title":"International Journal of Drug Policy"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.4","unstructured":"Bourne A et al . The Chemsex study: drug use in sexual settings among gay and bisexual men in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 2014."},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.5","first-page":"6","article-title":"Sexualised drug use by MSM: background, current status and response","volume":"13","author":"Stuart","year":"2013","journal-title":"HIV Nursing"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugpo.2016.10.007","article-title":"Social norms related to combining drugs and sex (\u201cchemsex\u201d) among gay men in South London","volume":"38","author":"Ahmed","year":"2016","journal-title":"International Journal of Drug Policy"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"362","DOI":"10.1177\/0956462416651229","article-title":"Chemsex and the city: sexualised substance use in gay bisexual and other men who have sex with men attending sexual health clinics","volume":"28","author":"Hegazi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int J STD AIDS"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugpo.2016.09.007","article-title":"Illicit drug use among gay and bisexual men in 44 cities: findings from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS)","volume":"38","author":"Schmidt","year":"2016","journal-title":"International Journal of Drug Policy"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugpo.2017.10.008","article-title":"Chemsex, risk behaviours and sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men in Dublin, Ireland","volume":"52","author":"Glynn","year":"2018","journal-title":"International Journal of Drug Policy"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2016-052877","article-title":"Increasing rates of reported chemsex\/sexualised recreational drug use in men who have sex with men attending for postexposure prophylaxis for sexual exposure","volume":"93","author":"Ottaway","year":"2017","journal-title":"Sex Transm Infect"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"325","DOI":"10.1097\/OLQ.0000000000000753","article-title":"Chemsex among men who have sex with men: a Sexualized drug use survey among clients of the sexually transmitted infection outpatient clinic and users of a gay dating APP in Amsterdam, the Netherlands","volume":"45","author":"Dr\u00fcckler","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sex Transm Dis"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e22","DOI":"10.1016\/S2352-3018(14)70001-3","article-title":"Recreational drug use, polydrug use, and sexual behaviour in HIV-diagnosed men who have sex with men in the UK: results from the cross-sectional ASTRA study","volume":"1","author":"Daskalopoulou","year":"2014","journal-title":"Lancet HIV"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.1111\/hiv.12574","article-title":"Sexualized drug use ('chemsex') and high-risk sexual behaviours in HIV-positive men who have sex with men","volume":"19","author":"Pufall","year":"2018","journal-title":"HIV Med"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"250","DOI":"10.1177\/0956462416642125","article-title":"Findings from within-subjects comparisons of drug use and sexual risk behaviour in men who have sex with men in England","volume":"28","author":"Melendez-Torres","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int J STD AIDS"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/sextrans-2016-052695"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.1080\/10826084.2017.1322985","article-title":"Social stressors and intoxicated sex among an online sample of men who have sex with men (MSM) drawn from seven countries","volume":"53","author":"Chard","year":"2018","journal-title":"Subst Use Misuse"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugpo.2015.07.013"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"169","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugpo.2018.01.020","article-title":"Mental health, drug use and sexual risk behavior among gay and bisexual men","volume":"55","author":"Prestage","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int J Drug Policy"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugpo.2017.10.008","article-title":"Chemsex, risk behaviours and sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men in Dublin, Ireland","volume":"52","author":"Glynn","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int J Drug Policy"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.20","unstructured":"PHE, Producing modelled estimates of the size of the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB)population of England 2017"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"243","DOI":"10.1007\/s13178-013-0119-4","article-title":"The European Men-Who-Have-Sex-With-Men Internet Survey (EMIS): design and methods","volume":"10","author":"Weatherburn","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sexuality Research and Social Policy"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1016\/j.drugpo.2018.01.014","article-title":"Implications of survey labels and categorisations for understanding drug use in the context of sex among gay and bisexual men in Melbourne, Australia","volume":"55","author":"Ryan","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int J Drug Policy"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/00224490903100561"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10461-010-9678-z"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/088626097012002003"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1471-6402.2006.00263.x"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0164027504268574"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1207\/s15327752jpa4901_13"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-842X.2001.tb00310.x"},{"key":"2024092304402314000_95.5.342.30","unstructured":"McNeil J et al . Trans mental health study 2012. Scottish Transgender Alliance, 2012."}],"container-title":["Sexually Transmitted Infections"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/sextrans-2018-053933","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,23]],"date-time":"2024-09-23T11:41:57Z","timestamp":1727091717000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/sti.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/sextrans-2018-053933"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2019,4,12]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"5","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,7,18]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2019,8]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/sextrans-2018-053933"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/sextrans-2018-053933","relation":{},"ISSN":["1368-4973","1472-3263"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1368-4973","type":"print"},{"value":"1472-3263","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2019,4,12]]}}}