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Prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of drug consumption and chemsex use among individuals attending an STI clinic (EpITs STUDY)

Sex-related drug consumption and its health-related consequences have gained relevance in the assessment of patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which pose a significant challenge to public health. We aim to assess the prevalence and characteristics of drug consumption and chemsex p...

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Autores principales: Rosas Cancio-Suárez, Marta, Ron, Raquel, Díaz-Álvarez, Jorge, Martínez-Sanz, Javier, Serrano-Villar, Sergio, Moreno, Santiago, Sánchez-Conde, Matilde
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10644726/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38026436
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1285057
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author Rosas Cancio-Suárez, Marta
Ron, Raquel
Díaz-Álvarez, Jorge
Martínez-Sanz, Javier
Serrano-Villar, Sergio
Moreno, Santiago
Sánchez-Conde, Matilde
author_facet Rosas Cancio-Suárez, Marta
Ron, Raquel
Díaz-Álvarez, Jorge
Martínez-Sanz, Javier
Serrano-Villar, Sergio
Moreno, Santiago
Sánchez-Conde, Matilde
author_sort Rosas Cancio-Suárez, Marta
collection PubMed
description Sex-related drug consumption and its health-related consequences have gained relevance in the assessment of patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which pose a significant challenge to public health. We aim to assess the prevalence and characteristics of drug consumption and chemsex practices, describe the associated risk factors among general individuals attending an STI clinic, and evaluate the psychological impact associated with these behaviors. We conducted an online anonymous survey offered to patients with a diagnosis of STI in a tertiary hospital in Spain. Data included sociodemographic characteristics, sexual preferences and behavior, and assessment of drug use, chemsex, and psychological and mental health symptoms. Data from 145 subjects was collected, with a higher proportion of cis-gender men (71%), and a median age of 32 years. 64 participants (44%) reported drug use in the last year, with an observed 33.8% prevalence of chemsex consumption. Drug use and chemsex were more frequent among cis-gender men, Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), people living with HIV (PLHIV), and those reporting previous group sex. Poppers and cannabis were the most frequently reported drugs, with a prevalence close to 20% for cocaine, mephedrone, extasis, and GHB. Consequences related to drug use included unpleasant physical sensations, sexual dysfunction, and impaired sexual experience after reduction or drug discontinuation. The prevalence of drug use and chemsex practices are high among patients evaluated for STIs, especially between men, MSM, and subjects practicing group sex. The study highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions on prevention and reduction of their impact on health and social well-being.
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spelling pubmed-106447262023-10-31 Prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of drug consumption and chemsex use among individuals attending an STI clinic (EpITs STUDY) Rosas Cancio-Suárez, Marta Ron, Raquel Díaz-Álvarez, Jorge Martínez-Sanz, Javier Serrano-Villar, Sergio Moreno, Santiago Sánchez-Conde, Matilde Front Public Health Public Health Sex-related drug consumption and its health-related consequences have gained relevance in the assessment of patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which pose a significant challenge to public health. We aim to assess the prevalence and characteristics of drug consumption and chemsex practices, describe the associated risk factors among general individuals attending an STI clinic, and evaluate the psychological impact associated with these behaviors. We conducted an online anonymous survey offered to patients with a diagnosis of STI in a tertiary hospital in Spain. Data included sociodemographic characteristics, sexual preferences and behavior, and assessment of drug use, chemsex, and psychological and mental health symptoms. Data from 145 subjects was collected, with a higher proportion of cis-gender men (71%), and a median age of 32 years. 64 participants (44%) reported drug use in the last year, with an observed 33.8% prevalence of chemsex consumption. Drug use and chemsex were more frequent among cis-gender men, Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), people living with HIV (PLHIV), and those reporting previous group sex. Poppers and cannabis were the most frequently reported drugs, with a prevalence close to 20% for cocaine, mephedrone, extasis, and GHB. Consequences related to drug use included unpleasant physical sensations, sexual dysfunction, and impaired sexual experience after reduction or drug discontinuation. The prevalence of drug use and chemsex practices are high among patients evaluated for STIs, especially between men, MSM, and subjects practicing group sex. The study highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions on prevention and reduction of their impact on health and social well-being. Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-10-31 /pmc/articles/PMC10644726/ /pubmed/38026436 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1285057 Text en Copyright © 2023 Rosas Cancio-Suárez, Ron, Díaz-Álvarez, Martínez-Sanz, Serrano-Villar, Moreno and Sánchez-Conde. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Public Health
Rosas Cancio-Suárez, Marta
Ron, Raquel
Díaz-Álvarez, Jorge
Martínez-Sanz, Javier
Serrano-Villar, Sergio
Moreno, Santiago
Sánchez-Conde, Matilde
Prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of drug consumption and chemsex use among individuals attending an STI clinic (EpITs STUDY)
title Prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of drug consumption and chemsex use among individuals attending an STI clinic (EpITs STUDY)
title_full Prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of drug consumption and chemsex use among individuals attending an STI clinic (EpITs STUDY)
title_fullStr Prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of drug consumption and chemsex use among individuals attending an STI clinic (EpITs STUDY)
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of drug consumption and chemsex use among individuals attending an STI clinic (EpITs STUDY)
title_short Prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of drug consumption and chemsex use among individuals attending an STI clinic (EpITs STUDY)
title_sort prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of drug consumption and chemsex use among individuals attending an sti clinic (epits study)
topic Public Health
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10644726/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38026436
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1285057
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