Table 2. Percentages of chemsex and drugs used during sex and associations with STI positivity in MSM attending an STI clinic.
| All participants (N = 250) | STI positive (N = 48) | STI negative (N = 202) | Outcome: STI positivity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % of total (N) | % within groups (N) | % within groups (N) | Unadjusted OR (95% CI) | Adjusted OR (95% CI)a | |
| Main behaviours | |||||
| Any drug use during sex | |||||
| Yes | 54.4 (136) | 23.5 (32) | 76.5 (104) | 1.89 (0.97–3.65) | 1.36 (0.67–2.79) |
| No | 45.6 (114) | 14.0 (16) | 86.0 (98) | 1b | 1 |
| Broad definition chemsexc | |||||
| Yes | 34.8 (87) | 33.3 (29) | 66.7 (58) | 3.79 (1.97–7.29)*** | 2.92 (1.42–6.01)*** |
| No | 65.2 (163) | 11.7 (19) | 88.3 (144) | 1 | 1 |
| UK definition chemsex | |||||
| Yes | 26.0 (65) | 36.9 (24) | 63.1 (41) | 3.93 (2.03–7.61)*** | 2.87 (1.39–5.97)** |
| No | 74.0 (185) | 13.0 (24) | 87.0 (161) | 1 | |
| Chemsex-related behaviour based on broad definition of chemsex | |||||
| Number of different chemsex drugs used <6 months | |||||
| ≥3 | 18.0 (45) | 44.4 (20) | 55.6 (25) | 6.06 (2.84–12.94)*** | 4.13 (1.77–9.62)** |
| 1–2 | 16.8 (42) | 21.4 (9) | 78.6 (33) | 2.07 (0.86–4.98) | 1.92 (0.76–4.87) |
| 0 | 65.2 (163) | 11.7 (19) | 88.3 (114) | 1 | 1 |
| Combining chemsex drugs in one sex session | |||||
| Yes | 24.0 (60) | 31.7 (19) | 68.3 (41) | 2.57 (1.31–5.04)* | 1.70 (0.81–3.58) |
| No | 76.0 (190) | 15.3 (29) | 84.7 (161) | 1 | 1 |
| Combining drugs and alcohol (≥4 units) during one sex session | |||||
| Yes | 20.4 (51) | 15.7 (8) | 84.3 (43) | 0.74 (0.32–1.70) | 0.47 (0.18–1.21) |
| No | 79.1 (199) | 20.1 (40) | 79.1 (159) | 1 | 1 |
| Frequency chemsex <6 months | |||||
| Twice per month or more | 16.0 (40) | 45.0 (18) | 55.0 (22) | 6.20 (2.83–13.60)*** | 4.23 (1.78–10.05) |
| Once per month or less | 18.8 (47) | 23.4 (11) | 76.6 (36) | 2.32 (1.01–5.30)* | 1.99 (0.81–4.91) |
| Never | 65.2 (163) | 11.7 (19) | 88.3 (144) | 1 | 1 |
| Specific drugs used during sex | |||||
| Poppers | |||||
| Yes | 42.0 (105) | 26.7 (28) | 73.3 (77) | 2.27 (1.20–4.31)* | 1.71 (0.86–3.40) |
| No | 58.0 (145) | 13.8 (20) | 86.2 (125) | 1 | 1 |
| XTC/MDMA | |||||
| Yes | 27.2 (68) | 35.3 (24) | 64.7 (44) | 3.59 (1.86–6.93)*** | 2.67 (1.29–5.56)** |
| No | 72.8 (182) | 13.2 (24) | 86.8 (158) | 1 | 1 |
| GHB/GBL | |||||
| Yes | 25.6 (64) | 35.9 (23) | 64.1 (41) | 3.61 (1.81–7.00)*** | 2.59 (1.24–5.24)* |
| No | 74.4 (186) | 13.4 (25) | 86.6 (161) | 1 | 1 |
| Cannabis | |||||
| Yes | 22.8 (57) | 22.8 (13) | 77.2 (44) | 1.33 (0.65–2.74) | 1.03 (0.47–2.22) |
| No | 77.2 (193) | 18.1 (35) | 81.9 (158) | 1 | 1 |
| Ketamine | |||||
| Yes | 12.4 (31) | 35.5 (11) | 64.5 (20) | 2.71 (1.20–6.12)* | 1.78 (0.74–4.25) |
| No | 87.6 (219) | 16.9 (37) | 83.1 (182) | 1 | |
| Speed | |||||
| Yes | 10.8 (27) | 25.9 (7) | 74.1 (20) | 1.55 (0.62–3.92) | 1.17 (0.44–3.11) |
| No | 89.2 (223) | 18.4 (41) | 81.6 (182) | 1 | 1 |
| Cocaine | |||||
| Yes | 9.2 (23) | 47.8 (11) | 52.2 (12) | 4.71 (1.93–11.47)** | 3.01 (1.12–8.05)* |
| No | 90.8 (227) | 16.3 (37) | 83.7 (190) | 1 | 1 |
| Designer drugs | |||||
| Yes | 3.2 (8) | 37.5 (3) | 62.5 (5) | NAd | NA |
| No | 96.8 (242) | 18.6 (45) | 81.4 (197) | ||
| Crystal meth | |||||
| Yes | 2.0 (5) | 20.0 (1) | 80.0 (4) | NA | NA |
| No | 98.0 (245) | 19.2 (47) | 80.2 (198) | ||
| Mephedrone | |||||
| Yes | 1.6 (4) | 50.0 (2) | 50.0 (20) | NA | NA |
| No | 98.4 (246) | 18.7 (46) | 81.3 (200) | ||
| Nitrous oxide | |||||
| Yes | 0.8 (2) | 0.0 (0) | 100.0 (2) | NA | NA |
| No | 99.2 (248) | 19.4 (48) | 80.6 (200) | ||
| LSD | |||||
| Yes | 0.4 (1) | 100.0 (1) | 0.0 (0) | NA | NA |
| No | 99.6 (249) | 18.9 (47) | 91.1 (202) | ||
| Magic mushrooms | |||||
| Yes | 0.4 (1) | 100.0 (1) | 0.0 (0) | NA | NA |
| No | 99.6 (249) | 18.9 (47) | 91.1 (102) | ||
| Substance use during sex | |||||
| Erection dysfunction drugs | |||||
| Yes | 41.6 (104) | 30.8 (32) | 69.2 (72) | 3.61 (1.86–7.03)*** | 2.63 (1.26–5.47)* |
| No | 58.4 (146) | 11.0 (16) | 89.0 (130) | 1 | 1 |
| Tranquilizers | |||||
| Yes | 8.8 (22) | 18.2 (4) | 81.8 (13) | 0.93 (0.30–2.88) | 0.83 (0.25–2.73) |
| No | 91.2 (228) | 19.3 (44) | 80.7 (184) | 1 | 1 |
*** <0.001,
** <0.01,
*<0.05
Row percentages are presented.
The use of basecoke, heroin and ritalin during sex in the preceding six months was reported by none of the participants.
a Adjusted for age, HIV status, and number of sex partners in the preceding six months (based on Table 1).
b The reference category is indicated with value ‘1’.
c Drugs included in the broad definition of chemsex: cocaine, crystal meth, designer drugs, GHB/GBL, ketamine, mephedrone, speed, XTC/MDMA.
d NA: groups were too small to calculate odds ratios.