You have full access to this open access article. Chemsex is a dynamic phenomenon with cultural variation. There is limited information about its prevalence and specific characteristics in our geographical area. In this cross-sectional study of a series of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men gbMSM who engaged in chemsex and were attending the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain, between March and May , we aimed to identify potential vulnerabilities and describe the profiles of individuals who engaged in chemsex in our site.
A sub-analysis considering vulnerability conditions was completed. Migrants from Latin America were younger, had a lower percentage of university education, and more frequently had detectable HIV-VLs and syphilis.
HCV-positive participants reported more injecting drug use, versatile fisting practices, and syphilis. Slam users consumed more methamphetamine and mephedrone, had significantly higher HIV-VLs when detectable, and reported less sober sex. We identified certain baseline characteristics of our chemsex cohort that may confer a profile of greater vulnerability, which must be addressed in a personalized way when attempting damage reduction and a global approach to the practice of chemsex at our site.
Access to specialized and interdisciplinary services with cultural competence in the complexity of the phenomenon should be guaranteed to these individuals for better management. Chemsex is defined as the intentional use of recreational drugs before or during sexual encounters among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men gbMSM to facilitate, enhance, and prolong sexual intercourse Bourne et al.
The chemsex phenomenon has been a subject of study, motivated by the associations that have been described between drug use and other health issues in gbMSM Maxwell et al. Polydrug use has been associated with having condomless sex, group sex, and multiple sexual partners, in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals Daskalopoulou et al. All this evidence suggests the need for special efforts to prevent these events Mora, s.
