Chemsex practice among men who have sex with men (MSM) during social isolation from COVID-19: multicentric online survey (original) (raw)
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International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The practice of sex with casual partners without the use of adequate prevention in the period of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) can expose them to the risk of infection by the HIV virus. To assess this, we conducted an online survey in April and May 2020 in the entire national territory of Brazil and Portugal. We used the snowball technique for sampling, associated with circulation in social networks, totaling 2934 participants. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to produce the adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR). Eight-hundred-and-forty-two (28.7%) MSM presented at-risk sexual exposure in this period. In general, the types of sexual practices that most increased the chances of sexual exposure were having multiple partners (aOR:14.045); having practiced chemsex (aOR:2.246) and group sex (aOR:2.431), as well as presenting a history of at-risk sexual exposure (aOR:5.136). When we consider each country separately, the cha...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Objectives: We investigated the extent to which Brazilian and Portuguese Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) had casual sex partners outside their homes during the period of sheltering in place for the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online survey was conducted in Brazil and Portugal in April, during the period of social isolation for COVID-19, with a sample of 2361 MSMs. Recruitment was done through meeting apps and Facebook. Results: Most of the sample (53.0%) had casual sex partners during sheltering. Factors that increased the odds of engaging in casual sex in Brazil were having group sex (aOR 2.1, 95% CI 1.3–3.4), living in an urban area (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.2), feeling that sheltering had a high impact on daily life (aOR 3.0, 95% CI 1.1–8.3), having casual instead of steady partners (aOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.8–3.5), and not decreasing the number of partners (aOR 6.5, 95% CI 4.2–10.0). In Portugal, the odds of engaging in casual sex increased with using Facebook to find partners (aOR 4.6...
COVID-19, quarantine and sexual life: a cross-sectional online survey of Brazilian individuals
ABCS Health Sciences
Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak was responsible for a high number of deaths worldwide. Not only the physical health was affected by COVID-19. Thus, to avoid the infection spreading, social distancing and quarantine have been adopted, bringing rupture to previous habits, economic losses, and isolation. Objective: To study the sexual life during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazilian individuals. Methods: This cross-sectional study using an internet survey was conducted from June 10th to July 30th, 2020 with epidemiological questions, questions on fatigue and depression, and the sexual quotient scale (SQS). Results: The survey was answered by 2,131 individuals: 325 males, median age 25 years (IQR=22.0-33.5 years), range between 18 to 69 years and 1,806 females with median age 25 years (IQR=22-31 years), range between 18 to 67 years. In 49% of males and 29% of females (29%), there were no changes in sexual life. In 43.7% of females and 32.1% of males, some deterioration was observed wh...
Coronavirus (COVID-19) and sexualised drug use among men who have sex with men: a systematic review
Sexual Health, 2023
Drug-related harms, including harms from sexualised drug use (SDU), are disproportionately experienced by sexual and gender minority people, relative to their majority counterparts. Chemsex, a type of SDU practiced mainly by MSM, is associated with methamphetamine use and increased HIV seropositivity or risk of acquisition. Therefore, participants are at increased risk of immunocompromise. Existing evidence suggests that drug use increases following natural disasters. The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on chemsex is unknown. A PRISMA-adherent systematic review was conducted to synthesise reports of changes in the prevalence, frequency, or characteristics of drug use (and factors associated with these changes) following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This report presents findings related to SDU/chemsex among MSM. A comprehensive search across nine databases, supplemented with backward-forward citation searching and contact with key opinion leaders, was conducted. Two reviewers carried out title-abstract screening, full-text screening, and data extraction. Following a final, single database search, nine studies were included in the narrative synthesis. More than half the sample were studies investigating HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis use. Twenty percent of participants in most studies reported chemsex participation. In four, participants reported a net increase or maintenance of chemsex participation during the pandemic and five reported a net decrease. Increased chemsex participation was associated with loneliness, cravings, and working during the pandemic. Decreased chemsex practice was associated with COVID-19-related fear. This synthesis suggests that chemsex practice continued, and for some MSM increased, throughout COVID-19 pandemic 'lockdowns'. This may have increased COVID-19 transmission and severity among potentially vulnerable MSM.
2024
Introduction: The study sought to identify changes in sexual activity during the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study used a questionnaire survey distributed on social networks using the snowball method in the Czech Republic. Statistical procedures were performed in SPSS and MS Excel. After descriptive statistics, association analysis was performed using the Pearson x2 test. Cramer's V and the Contingency Coefficient were used to verify the strength of the association. Pearson's adjusted standardized residuals were analyzed to interpret the associations. Results: A total of 701 MSM met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 25-29 years. The majority of respondents (77.6%) identified themselves as homosexual. Most respondents (74.5%) did not take steps to reduce the risk of infection with COVID-19. Most respondents (55.7%) stated that their sexual activity had not changed compared to the time before the pandemic, with some partial exceptions (e.g. sexting). A moderately strong association was identified between alteration of overall sexual activity and age at sexual initiation, number of sexual partners/year and sexual activity/week. Conclusion: The subpopulation of MSM in the Czech Republic did not reflect significant changes in sexual behaviour during the pandemic of COVID-19 compared to before. Polocy implications: The research findings suggest there is no need to implement widespread changes in the approach to MSM sexual behaviour. Current societal settings and systems of support for sexual behaviour appear robust even in critical times.
Clinical Practice & Epidemiology in Mental Health
Introduction: Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused social and economic damages. People have adapted to a new reality of physical distance. Objective: The study aimed to assess the use of digital devices and social media, focusing on psychosocial and demographic factors of people´s sexual behavior during the pandemic. Methods: A total of 1,357 Brazilian adults participated in a cross-sectional online survey. They were recruited through social media to obtain information regarding sexual behavior and the use of digital devices and social media. Results: Digital devices and social media were used by 38.8% of the participants. Among the group that used technological devices, most claimed to have changed their sexual behavior, with 76.9% consuming more sexual content through movies or series. Conclusion: In a smaller group, technological resources appeared as an alternative for safer sex, reducing the risks of COVID-19 transmission.
AIDS Behav, 2022
This study aimed to explore the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on sexual behavior and PrEP use among a sample of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Mexico. Between April 20th and 27th, 2020 - well into Mexico's lockdown - we conducted a virtual survey among 637 MSM exploring sexual behavior during the first month of the COVID-19 epidemic in Mexico and the impact of lockdown on PrEP use. We applied logistic regression models to assess predictors of PrEP use continuation. Over half the participants (52%) reported having a sexual encounter in the last two weeks. 75% of participants reported a decrease in the number of sexual partners because of COVID-19. The use of PrEP dropped from 90% to 64% during the first month of lockdown. Multivariate logistic regression models showed that younger participants were less likely to continue using PrEP than those 25 + years. Also, those who perceived themselves as not likely to acquire COVID-19 and those who reported using a condom in their last sexual encounter were more likely to continue using PrEP during the lockdown. This study provides evidence of the impact of COVID-19 on sexual behavior and PrEP use among MSM in Mexico during the lockdown. Sexual and reproductive health services will need to consider the risk of COVID-19 in providing HIV and PrEP programs to guarantee participants' and health care providers' safety.
IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
Rom J Leg Med, 2022
The aim of our study was to investigate the changes in sexual behavior related to the COVID-19 restrictions of the lockdown in Romania. An online questionnaire was distributed on various social media groups during confinement, trying to include subjects with different backgrounds, educational levels, and fields of activity. Besides the collection of demographic data (age, gender, sexual orientation, education, occupation, relationship status, etc.), knowledge about COVID-19, sexual and reproductive health, information about sexual behavior (sexual desire, frequency of sexual activity, masturbation, etc.), alcohol and other psychoactive substances and comorbidities were noted. A total of 642 participants completed the survey. During the COVID-19 self-isolation/social distancing, 19.8% of subjects (n=100) reported a decrease in sexual desire, 35.5% (n=180) recognized a decrease in sexual activity and 56.9% (287) described an increase in the frequency of masturbation. The decrease in sexual activity was significantly higher (53.8%) in participants who identified within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. The multinomial logistic regression proved that the decrease in sexual activity was significantly correlated with not being in an exclusive relationship and a decrease in sexual desire during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Cadernos De Saude Publica, 2015
Social and sexual contact networks between men who have sex with men (MSM) play an important role in understanding the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In Salvador (Bahia State, Brazil), one of the cities in the survey Behavior, Attitudes, Practices, and Prevalence of HIV and Syphilis among Men Who Have Sex with Men in 10 Brazilian Cities, data were collected in 2008/2009 from a sample of 383 MSM using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS). Network analysis was used to study friendship networks and sexual partner networks. The study also focused on the association between the number of links (degree) and the number of sexual partners, in addition to socio-demographic characteristics. The networks' structure potentially facilitates HIV transmission. However, the same networks can also be used to spread messages on STI/HIV prevention, since the proximity and similarity of MSM in these networks can encourage behavior change and positive attitudes towards prevention.