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Harm reduction journal
Oct 07, 2024;21 (1): 181.

Experiences of harm and mental ill-health among gay, bisexual and other men-who-have-sex-with-men who use methamphetamine or GHB/GBL in different combinations: findings from the COMeT study in Taiwan.

Jing-Hao Hsu, Poyao Huang, Chia-Wen Li, Adam Bourne, Carol Strong, Stephane Wen-Wei Ku
Author Information
  1. Jing-Hao Hsu: Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, 8F-8068, No. 138, ShengLi Rd., North Dist., Tainan City, 704, Taiwan.
  2. Poyao Huang: Institute of Health Behaviors and Community Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
  3. Chia-Wen Li: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
  4. Adam Bourne: Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
  5. Carol Strong: Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, National Cheng Kung University, 8F-8068, No. 138, ShengLi Rd., North Dist., Tainan City, 704, Taiwan. carol.chiajung@gmail.com.
  6. Stephane Wen-Wei Ku: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Taipei City Hospital Renai Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
PMID: 39375670 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-01094-8

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Polydrug use in the context of chemsex is commonplace among gay, bisexual, and other men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM). This study aimed to examine the differences in experiences of physical, social, and psychological harms, as well as mental ill-health among GBMSM who use different combinations of methamphetamine and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid/gamma-butyrolactone (GHB/GBL) during chemsex.
METHOD: Adult GBMSM participants who had experience of chemsex in the past 12 months participated in a cross-sectional online survey in Taiwan and self-reported their sociodemographic background, sexual behaviours, mental health, and experiences of harm following a chemsex session. We used univariable and multivariable logistic regression to assess the different experiences of harm and mental ill-health among GBMSM who engaged in chemsex without using methamphetamine, used methamphetamine but not GHB/GBL, and who used both drugs.
RESULTS: Out of 510 participants who completed all items included in the analysis, 24.1% engaged in chemsex without using methamphetamine, 36.9% used methamphetamine but not GHB/GBL, and 39.0% used both drugs. Eighty five percent of men who used both methamphetamine and GHB/GBL reported at least one kind of social harm after a chemsex session, such as missing dates or appointments, or appearing "high" at work, followed by used methamphetamine but not GHB/GBL (69.7%) and those without using methamphetamine (37.4%). After controlling for polydrug and frequency of drug use in the multivariable logistic regression, those who used methamphetamine but not GHB/GBL and those who used both drugs were more likely to report experiencing physical and psychological harms compared to those who did not use methamphetamine (p���<���0.003).
CONCLUSION: GBMSM who used both methamphetamine and GHB/GBL in a chemsex context were more likely to report experience of harms than those who only used a single chemsex drug or engaged in chemsex without methamphetamine or GHB/GBL. Harm reduction should focus on both preventing HIV and STI transmission and on minimising psychosocial harm to GBMSM, with varying impacts depending on drug use.

Keywords

Chemsex Gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) Gay-bisexual-and-other-men-who-have-sex-with-men (GBMSM) Harm reduction Methamphetamine

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Grants

  1. NCKUH-10902066/National Cheng Kung University Hospital
  2. MOST 108-2636-B-006-004/Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan

MeSH Term

Humans
Male
Adult
Taiwan
Methamphetamine
4-Butyrolactone
Cross-Sectional Studies
Sexual and Gender Minorities
Young Adult
Substance-Related Disorders
Hydroxybutyrates
Middle Aged
Mental Disorders
Homosexuality, Male
Amphetamine-Related Disorders
Sexual Behavior

Chemicals

Methamphetamine
4-Butyrolactone
Hydroxybutyrates
4-hydroxybutyric acid
Journal Article

Word Cloud

Created with Highcharts 10.0.0methamphetamineusedchemsexGHB/GBLGBMSMuseharmamongmentalwithoutexperiencesharmsill-healthdifferentengagedusingdrugsdrugcontextgaybisexualmen-who-have-sex-with-menstudyphysicalsocialpsychologicalparticipantsexperienceTaiwansessionmultivariablelogisticregressionlikelyreportHarmreductionINTRODUCTION:Polydrugcommonplaceaimedexaminedifferenceswellcombinationsgamma-hydroxybutyricacid/gamma-butyrolactoneMETHOD:Adultpast12 monthsparticipatedcross-sectionalonlinesurveyself-reportedsociodemographicbackgroundsexualbehaviourshealthfollowingunivariableassessRESULTS:510completeditemsincludedanalysis241%369%390%Eightyfivepercentmenreportedleastonekindmissingdatesappointmentsappearing"high"workfollowed697%374%controllingpolydrugfrequencyexperiencingcomparedp���<���0003CONCLUSION:singlefocuspreventingHIVSTItransmissionminimisingpsychosocialvaryingimpactsdependingExperiencescombinations:findingsCOMeTChemsexGamma-butyrolactoneGBLGamma-hydroxybutyricacidGHBGay-bisexual-and-other-men-who-have-sex-with-menMethamphetamine

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