Sexualized drug use (chemsex and methamphetamine) among men who have sex with men

Key take-home messages

• Risk behaviours associated with sexualized drug use among men who have sex with men include engaging in condomless anal intercourse, having multiple partners, participating in group sex, and sex in exchange for drugs or money.

• Men who have sex with men engaging in sexualized drug use have a greater likelihood of being diagnosed with HIV, bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and hepatitis C.

• A range of mental health issues are reported among men who have sex with men engaging in sexualized drug use, including depression, anxiety, psychosis, and suicidality.

• Sexual violence among men who have sex with men appears to be associated with sexualized drug use and is characterized by non-consensual sex, non-consensual drug administration, coercion, and assault.

• In general, evidence for the effectiveness of pharmacologic interventions for problematic methamphetamine use is limited in the research literature.

• Contingency management interventions may have some effectiveness in reducing methamphetamine use among men who have sex with men.

• Epidemiology and Determinants of Health
  • Determinants of Health
• Determinants of Health
  • Social support
  • Health services
• Population(s)
  • Men who have sex with men
  • People who use drugs
• Prevention, Engagement and Care Cascade
  • Engagement and Care Cascade
  • Prevention
• Engagement and Care Cascade
  • Linkage/engagement in care
  • Treatment
• Prevention
  • Sexual risk behaviour
  • Drug use behaviours/harm reduction
  • Biomedical interventions
• Substance Use
  • Nonmedicinal drugs
• Health Systems
  • Governance arrangements
  • Delivery arrangements