Substance Use and Chemsex in MSM - A Latent Class Analysis

Engagement in “chemsex” among men who have sex with men is associated with higher rates of STIs and HIV seroconversion as well as an increased mental health burden. MSM were recruited for an anonymous online survey. The survey included questions of substance use, consumption motives, sexual risk behavior, HIV serostatus, and psychological characteristics. A latent class analysis was used to identify subgroups based on the consumed substances. 597 MSM answered the questionnaire. The latent class analysis revealed four different clusters. Most men described the use of amyl nitrite and cannabis (n = 370). One cluster consumed mainly MDMA, cocaine, and amphetamine (n = 106) and another cluster used mainly chemsex-related drugs (n = 43). A fourth cluster reported a range of consumed substances (n = 78). This cluster reported higher rates of suicide attempts, STIs, and risk behaviors. Substances typically related to chemsex were consumed in a sexualized context to a relevant extent.