Table 1.
Study characteristics of 52 samples included in meta-analysis.
| References | Type of study | Study location | Study periods | Recruitment methods | Survey methods | Eligibility of subjects | Sample size | Recall window (months) | Types of substances abuse | Substance abuse rate | HIV prevalence rate of substance abusers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liu et al. (7) | Cross-sectional | Shenzhen | 2018.6–2018.9 | VCT | Self-administrated questionnaire | Self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the past 6 months | 455 | 6 | Methamphetamine, Ketamine, MDMA | 14.90 | NA |
| Xi (46) | Cross-sectional | Hangzhou | 2009.6–2010.6 | Snowball sampling | Self-administrated questionnaire | >18 years; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the past 6 months | 530 | 6 | MDMA, Ketamine | 3.77 | 5.00 |
| Hu (33) | Cross-sectional | Coastal cities in eastern China | 2013.4–2013.10 | Website advertisement; community outreach; peer referrals; VCT | Self-administrated questionnaire; individual interview | ≥18 years; self-reported having anal intercourse with other men in the 6 months; local residence; reporting the use of synthetic drugs | 447 | 6 | Methamphetamine, Magu, Rush Poppers, Cannabis, Sildenafil | 51.50 | NA |
| Li et al. (37) | Cross-sectional | Beijing | 2012.6–2012.12 | Website advertisements; community outreach; peer referrals; VCT | Self-administrated questionnaire | ≥18 years, having sex with men during the past 3 months, can provide blood samples to test for HIV and willing to provide written informed consent | 400 | 6 | Nitrite inhalants | 47.30 | 9.00 |
| He et al. (32) | Cross-sectional | Guangzhou | 2013.11–2014.6 | VCT | Self-administrated questionnaire | Self-reported having anal intercourse with other men in the 2 years | 1,046 | 6 | Rush poppers | 1.24 | NA |
| Liu et al. (40) | Cross-sectional | Nanjing | 2013.4–2013.6 | Category snowball sampling | Face-to-face interview | ≥18 years; self-reported having anal intercourse with other men in the past 6 months; living in Nanjing for more than 3 months | 566 | 12 | Hallucinogens | 2.12 | NA |
| Wang et al. (45) | Cross-sectional | Beijing | 2012.12–2013.7 | Outreaching in gay venues; web advertisement and peer referral | Self-administrated questionnaire | Chinese men age 18–60 years old, living in Beijing, having anal intercourse with at least one man in the last 3 months | 576 | 3 | Nitrite inhalants | 28.60 | NA |
| Chen et al. (25) | Cross-sectional | Changsha | 2009.8–2009.11 | Snowball sampling; internet advertisements; venue-based mobilization | Self-administrated questionnaire | ≥16 years; self-report sexual behaviors with a male partner at least once in their lifetime; understood and were willing to participate and sign informed consent | 826 | 6 | ketamine, ecstasy/MDMA, GHB, cocaine, and methamphetamine | 21.40 | 18.64 |
| Cai et al. (27) | Cross-sectional | Shenzhen | 2010–2014 | VCT | Self-administrated questionnaire | ≥18 years; self-reported having sex with other men | 3,318 | 24 | Heroin, Cocaine, Opium, Ketamine, MDMA, Methamphetamine | 4.65 | NA |
| Shi et al. (42) | Cross-sectional | Wuhan | 2013.5–2013.11 | VCT; peer referrals; website advertisement; community outreach activities | Self-administrated questionnaire | < 25 years; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the past 6 months | 397 | 6 | NA | 22.90 | 12.09 |
| Wang (44) | Cross-sectional | Kunming | 2015 | Snowball sampling;website advertisement; Purpose Sampling | Self-administrated questionnaire; In-depth personal interviews | ≥18 years; self-reported having oral or anal intercourse with other men in; living and working in Kunming for more than 3 months; high school students or non-students | 635 | 6 | Rush poppers, Methamphetamine | 35.11 | NA |
| Chen et al. (28) | Cross-sectional | Guangdong province | 2014.3–2014.8 | Homosexual website | Self-administrated questionnaire; | >16 years; self-reported having anal intercourse with other men; Students from universities in Guangdong Province | 825 | 3 | Rush poppers | 14.80 | NA |
| Li et al. (64) | Cross-sectional | Beijing | 2013.4–2013.12 | Website advertisement; community outreach; peer referrals; venue-based mobilization | Self-administrated questionnaire | ≥18 years; self-reported having oral or anal intercourse with other men in; reporting the use of synthetic drugs in the past 12 months; living and working in Beijing | 1,206 | 3 | Rush poppers | 23.55 | NA |
| Yang et al. (50) | Cross-sectional | Hunan Province | 2012.7–2013.1 | Respondent driven sampling; | Self-administrated questionnaire | Males aged >16 years; self-identified as an MB; ability to provide written and verbal consent | 205 | 3 | Rush popper, methamphetamine, ecstasy, ketamine, marijuana, morphine, heroin and cocaine | 39.02 | NA |
| Chen et al. (28) | Cross-sectional | Beijing | 2013–2016 | Website advertisement; peer referral; short message services and community outreach | Self-administrated questionnaire | ≥18 years; having sex with men in the past 12 months; living in Beijing during the study period; willing and able to provide written informed consent | 3,588 | 3 | Rush poppers, methamphetamine, cannabis or marijuana, MDMA, ketamine, Magu and heroin | 27.50 | 16.01 |
| Jiang (36) | Cross-sectional | Chongqing | 2015.12–2016.4 | Snowball sampling; occasional Sampling | Self-administrated questionnaire | >16 years; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the past year; self-reported using new drugs in the last year | 140 | 12 | Methamphetamine, Magu, Capsule Zero, Amphetamine, Ketamine, Rush poppers | 100% | NA |
| Zhu et al. (56) | Cross-sectional | Nanjing | 2014.4–2014.6; 2014.12–2014.12; 2015.4–2015.6 | Internet recruitment ads; VCT; community Organization Mobilization | Self-administrated questionnaire | >16 years; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the last year | 1,721 | 6 | Rush poppers | 19.29 | 16.87 |
| Xu et al. (47) | Cross-sectional | Nanjing | 2014.11–2015.2; 2015.4–2015.7 | Social networks; venue-based mobilization; VCT; community Organization Mobilization | Self-administrated questionnaire | >16 years; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the last year; living in Nanjing | 1,040 | 6 | Rush poppers | 23.65 | 18.70 |
| Yang et al. (9) | Cross-sectional | Luoyang | 2016.5–2016.10 | Snowball sampling | Self-administrated questionnaire | Men over 16 years old; self-reported having anal intercourse with other men | 1,010 | 24 | Methamphetamine, Ketamine, MDMA, Magu, Rush poppers, Capsule Zero | 79.40 | NA |
| Jia et al. (35) | Cross-sectional | Xian | 2016 | Snowball sampling | Self-administrated questionnaire | Self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the past 3 months | 214 | 3 | Methamphetamine, Ketamine, Magu, Rush poppers, Capsule Zero | 39.70 | 9.41 |
| Zhang et al. (54) | Cross-sectional | Beijing, Nanning | 2013.3–2014.3 | Short message service (SMS); community outreach; web advertisement and peer referral interventions | Self-administrated questionnaire | Male, at least 18 years old, self-reported sex with men in the last 12 months, currently living in Beijing, and provision of written informed consent | 500 | 3 | Rush poppers, methamphetamine, marijuana, ecstasy, ketamine, Magu. | 38.60 | 6.22 |
| Wang et al. (20) | Cross-sectional | Beijing | 2013.4–2014.4 | Online advertising and peer referral | Face-to-face interview | ≥18 years; self-reported had anal intercourse at least once with another male in the past 12 months; and currently living in Beijing (north China) or Nanning (south China | 510 | 6 | Nitrite inhalants | 29.62 | 14.57 |
| Shan et al. (41) | Cross-sectional | Tianjin | 2016.4–2016.12 | Snowball sampling;website advertisement; community outreach; peer referrals; VCT; venue-based mobilization | Self-administrated questionnaire | ≥18 years; self-reported having oral or anal intercourse with other men in the past 6 months; reporting the use of synthetic drugs in the past 6 months | 302 | 6 | Rush poppers, Capsule Zero | 100% | NA |
| Duan et al. (30) | Cross-sectional | Shenzhen | 2015.3–2015.12 | Time-location-sampling (TLS); the respondent driven sampling (RDS); snowball sampling | Self-administrated questionnaire | Being biologically male; having had sexual contact (oral or anal sex) with other males in Shenzhen during the past 6 months before the survey | 1,935 | 6 | Rush poppers, methamphetamine, ketamine, LSD, PCP, marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy (amphetamine, MDMA), cough syrup (codeine phosphate), heroin, Magu | 12.70 | 18.29 |
| Zhao et al. (24) | Cross-sectional | Nation-wide | 2014.9–2014.10 | Three gay web portals: Northern China, Southern China, and Eastern China | Self-administrated questionnaire | Being born as male; ≥16 years; had ever engaged in anal sex with another man; willing to provide their cell phone number (for other follow-up purposes) and agreed to an informed consent | 1,424 | 12 | Rush poppers, crystal meth and ecstasy | 24.72 | 4.83 |
| Han (31) | Cross-sectional | Tianjin | 2015.7–2017.9 | Snowball sampling; Simple random Sampling | Self-administrated questionnaire | >16 years; self-reported having anal intercourse with other men in the past 3 months; HIV negative or self-reported unknown | 222 | 3 | Methamphetamine, Rush poppers, Capsule Zero, Ketamine, Magu | 54.50 | 5.78 |
| Lu (26) | Cross-sectional | Qingdao | 2017.3–2017.8 | Snowball sampling | Face-to-face interview | >18 years; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the past 6 months; local residence | 602 | 6 | Methamphetamine, Rush poppers, Capsule Zero, MDMA, Ketamine, Magu | 50.20 | 0.33 |
| Zhou et al. (57) | Cross-sectional | Nantong | 2018.4–2018.8 | Snowball sampling; social networks; venue-based mobilization; VCT | Self-administrated questionnaire | Men self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the last year | 300 | 6 | Rush poppers, Capsule Zero, MDMA | 64.00 | 4.90 |
| Li (39) | Cross-sectional | Haerbin | 2016.4–2017.3 | Snowball sampling; Internet recruitment ads; VCT; community organization Mobilization; social networks | Self-administrated questionnaire | >18 years; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men | 6,710 | 12 | Rush poppers, Amphetamine, Ketamine, MDMA, Cannabis, Capsule Zero | 23.10 | 11.61 |
| Zhang (53) | Cross-sectional | Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang | 2018.11–2019.1 | VCT; peer referrals; social networks | Self-administrated questionnaire | Men over 18 years old; self-reported having anal intercourse with other men in the past 6 months; full-time enrolled college students; Working or living in Beijing or Tianjin or Shijiazhuang during the survey | 511 | 6 | Rush poppers, Capsule Zero | 55.00 | NA |
| He et al. (68) | Cross-sectional | Hangzhou | 2015.8–2016.4 | Snowball sampling | Face-to-face interview | ≥16 years; had had anal sex with men in the last 3 months before the study; had previous HIV test results that were negative or unknown; and were willing to provide informed consent to participate in the study | 555 | 3 | Methamphetamine, ketamine, ecstasy, and rush poppers, | 18.20 | 15.80 |
| Lan et al. (69) | Cross-sectional | Guangxi province (Guigang, Guilin, Hechi, Hezhou, Liuzhou, Nanning, Wuzhou, and Yulin) | 2013–2015 | Advertisements; peer recruiters; peer referral | Face-to-face interview | ≥18 years; self-report same-gender sex in the past 6 months; currently living in the selected cities and willing to provide written informed consent | 5,658 | 6 | NA | 0.76 | 23.26 |
| Duan (8) | Cross-sectional | Jinan, Qingdao, Yantai | 2016.4–2016.7 | Snowball sampling; social networks; venue-based mobilization | Self-administrated questionnaire | >16 years; self-reported having anal intercourse with other men in the past year; living in Jinan, Qingdao or Yantai during the survey | 1,306 | 6 | Methamphetamine, MDMA, Ketamine, Rush Poppers, Capsule Zero | 28.60 | 6.95 |
| Xu et al. (48) | Cross-sectional | Nanjing | 2016.4–2016.7 | Internet recruitment ads; peer referral | Self-administrated questionnaire | >16 years; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the last year; living in Nanjing | 876 | 6 | Rush Poppers, Capsule Zero, Methamphetamine, MDMA, Codeine phosphate, Magu, Ketamine, Amphetamine | 29.60 | 13.90 |
| Dai et al. (29) | Cross-sectional | Sichuan province (Deyang, Yibin, and Xichang) | 2016.6–2016.9 | Community-based organizations | Self-administrated questionnaire | ≥18 years; reported sexual experience with men; currently living in the selected cities and willing to provide informed consent | 1,122 | 12 | Rush Poppers, crystal meth and capsule zero | 27.70 | 21.54 |
| Zhou et al. (55) | Cross-sectional | Tianjin | 2012.4–2012.8 | Community recruitment | Self-administrated questionnaire | ≥18 years; self-reported having sex with other men in the past 6 months; HIV infection status is negative or unknown | 500 | 6 | Rush Poppers | 36.60 | 6.22 |
| Wang et al. (66) | Cross-sectional | Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuxi | 2017.1–2017.8 | Snowball sampling; VCT; website advertise | Self-administrated questionnaire | >18 years; self-reported having anal intercourse with other men or have at least 2 male sexual partners in the past 6 months or Having a sexually transmitted disease | 603 | 6 | Methamphetamine, Rush Poppers, Sildenafil | 25.50 | 8.44 |
| Li et al. (65) | Cross-sectional | Chongqing | 2018.6–2019.6 | Snowball sampling;website advertisement; peer referrals, | Self-administrated questionnaire | Men age 18–65 years old; being born as male or transgender women who have sex with men; HIV-negative | 139 | 6 | Rush Poppers, Methamphetamine, Ketamine, Capsule Zero, Diazepam, Codeine phosphate | 34.53 | NA |
| Huang et al. (34) | Cross-sectional studies | Jinan Qingdao | 2016.3–2016.6 | Venue-based mobilization; Online recruitment | Self-administrated questionnaire | Self-reported having oral or anal intercourse with other men in the past year | 901 | 6 | Rush Poppers | 30.10 | 2.95 |
| Guo et al. (63) | Cross-sectional | Beijing, Tianjin | 2019.11–2019.11 | Snowball sampling; peer referrals | Self-administrated questionnaire | Men age 15–30 years old in high school or graduation within one year; self-reported having oral or anal intercourse with other men in the last year | 220 | 3 | Rush Poppers, Sildenafil | 13.80 | NA |
| Yan et al. (49) | Cross-sectional | Guangzhou | 2017.5–2017.11 | VCT | Self-administrated questionnaire | ≥18 years; self-reported having anal intercourse with other men; living in Guangzhou for more than 3 months | 976 | 6 | Rush Poppers | 34.84 | NA |
| Chen et al. (67) | Cross-sectional | Chongqing | 2019.3–2020.2 | Convenience sampling | Self-administrated questionnaire | ≥18 years; self-reported having anal intercourse with other men in the past year and were willing to provide written informed consent | 1,151 | 6 | Rush Poppers | 17.72 | 26.96 |
| Li et al. (19) | Cross-sectional | Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong Province | 2019.7–2019.12 | VCT; Intervention Outreach Activities | Self-administrated questionnaire | ≥18 years; self-reported having sex with other men; primary sexual orientation is male | 2,690 | 24 | Rush Poppers, Capsule Zero, Capsule Zero, Amphetamine | 32.20 | NA |
| Mao et al. (18) | Cross-sectional | Seven large cities in China (Shenyang, Jinan, Zhengzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, Changsha, and Kunming) | 2012.6–2013.6 | Advertisements on gay websites; community-based organizations; peer referrals | Self-administrated questionnaire | Be born male, ≥16 years, self-reported having anal/oral sex experiences with a male within the last year, and able to provide informed consent | 4,496 | 6 | Rush popper, ecstasy, methamphetamine, amphetamine, codeine and ketamine. | 28.36 | 12.71 |
| Yu et al. (51) | Cross-sectional | Tianjin | 2018.1–2018.12 | Snowball sampling; website advertise; social networks | Face-to-face interview | Being born as male; < 24years; had ever engaged in sex with another man in the past 6 months; junior college, undergraduate, and postgraduate school enrollment | 826 | 6 | Methamphetamine, Rush Poppers, Capsule Zero | 44.92 | 6.74 |
| Wang et al. (43) | Cross-sectional | Jinan; Qingdao; Yantai | 2020.4–2020.7 | VCT | Self-administrated questionnaire | >15 years; self-reported using synthetic drug use; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the last year | 965 | 6 | Methamphetamine, Rush poppers, Capsule zero and G-spot fluid | 100% | NA |
| Li et al. (38) | Cross-sectional | Jinan | 2017–2020 | Jianzhuo Li−2022 | Cross-sectional | Jinan | 1,700 | 6 | Capsule zero, Amphetamine, Rush poppers, MDMA | 27.35 | 5.48 |
| Chu and Shang (61) | Cohort | Shenyang | 2011.1–2012.12 | Respondent driven sampling | Self-administrated questionnaire | >18 years; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the past year; no history of HIV-positive testing | 625 | 3 | Rush poppers, Methamphetamine, Codeine phosphate, Sildenafil | 29.76 | 5.9/100PY |
| Peng and Xu (62) | Cohort | Liaoning | 2017.6–2018.12 | Snowball sampling; respondent driven sampling; WeChat promotion | Self-administrated questionnaire | >16 years; male by birth sex; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the past year; no history of HIV-positive testing | 672 | 6 | Hallucinogens | 36.80 | 5.8/100PY |
| Li (58) | Cohort | Tianjin | 2013.4–2018.9 | Social networks; venue-based mobilization | Self-administrated questionnaire | >16 years; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the last 6 months; no history of HIV-positive testing; live in Tianjin for more than 6 months; awareness and willingness to participate in VCT surveys every 6 months | 2,380 | 6 | Rush poppers | 20.60 | 2.23/100PY |
| Ni (59) | Cohort | Zhejiang province | 2018.4–2020.4 | VCT; Web recruitment | Self-administrated questionnaire | >16 years; self-reported having sex with other men in the past year; no history of HIV-positive testing; live in the local area for at least 1 year; able to provide contact information | 731 | 6 | Rush poppers, Capsule zero | NA | 1.19/100PY |
| Shan et al. (60) | Cohort | Shanghai, Tianjin | 2016.6–2018.6 | Outreach; network intervention; peer education | Self-administrated questionnaire | >18 years; self-reported having anal or oral intercourse with other men in the past year; self-reported using substance in the past year; no history of HIV-positive testing | 554 | 6 | Rush poppers, Methamphetamine, Ecstasy, Sildenafil | 100% | 2.73/100PY |