Earlier First Anal Sex Predicts Engagement in Chemsex Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United Kingdom
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6457597 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Francesco Avallone (0000-0003-1853-7730, McGill University Health Centre, corresponding author), Ivan Marbaniang (0000-0002-8446-9943, McGill University), Kay Engler (0000-0001-8364-7421, McGill University Health Centre), Joseph Cox (0000-0002-7041-1556, McGill University Health Centre), Bertrand Lebouché (0000-0002-1273-9393, McGill University Health Centre), Ford Hickson (0000-0003-0395-374X, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue | 7 |
| Pages | 1313-1321 |
| Publication date | 2024-12-18 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Journal of Sex Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0022-4499 • E-ISSN: 1559-8519 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00224499.2024.2443011 |
| PMID | 39692294 |
| OpenAlex | W4405541825 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 52 |
Chemsex, a form of sexualized drug use, is prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United Kingdom (UK), contributing to public health concerns like increased HIV transmission and overdose risk. This study explored the link between early first anal sex and chemsex engagement among MSM, a connection that has been underexplored in the UK. Analyzing data from 10,702 UK-based MSM from the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS-2017), we used ordinal and binomial logistic regressions to assess how the age of first anal intercourse correlated with sexual risk behaviors and chemsex. The median age of anal sex debut was 17, with most participants (65%) reporting their first experience at 18 or older. A smaller group (7%) had their first anal intercourse at 13 or younger. Compared to those who had their first anal sex at 18 years or older, MSM who initiated anal sex at 17 years or younger were more likely to report having more non-steady condomless intercourse partners (aOR = 1.46, p < .001), using chemsex-associated drugs (aOR = 1.26, p = .013), engaging in non-sober sex (aOR = 1.22, p < .001), and recent involvement in chemsex (aOR = 1.48, p < .001). These findings highlight the need for interventions that address early sexual experiences to reduce sexual risk behaviors and chemsex among MSM
Anal intercourse · Anal sex · Family medicine · Homosexuality · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV · Logistic regression · Men who have sex with men · Public health · Syphilis · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Demography · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Psychology
Sensation seeking, impulsive decision-making, and risky sex
Motivations and values associated with combining sex and illicit drugs (‘chemsex’) among gay men in South London
Psychosocial and sexual characteristics associated with sexualised drug use and chemsex among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the UK
Adverse childhood experiences and associated health outcomes
Chemsex and the city
Three Decades of Research
Sexualised drug taking among men who have sex with men
Sexual function in Britain
Understanding Attachment, Emotional Regulation, and Childhood Adversity and Their Link to Chemsex
Risk taking, sensation seeking and personality as related to changes in substance use from adolescence to young adulthood
Relations Between Adolescent Sensation Seeking and Risky Sexual Behaviors Across Sex, Race, and Age
Ten years of longitudinal research on U.S. adolescent sexual behavior
Increasing emergency department admissions for chemsex-related intoxications in Barcelona, Spain, among people living with HIV
Gay-related Development, Early Abuse and Adult Health Outcomes Among Gay Males
Sexual Debut and HIV-Related Sexual Risk-Taking by Birth Cohort Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States
Sexualised drug use in the United Kingdom (UK)
Illicit drug use among gay and bisexual men in 44 cities
Chemsex behaviours among men who have sex with men
Relationship between childhood socioeconomic position and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
Chemsex Among Men Having Sex with Men
First Heterosexual Intercourse in the United Kingdom
European Men-Who-Have-Sex-With-Men Internet Survey (Emis-2017)
Long-Term Health Correlates of Timing of Sexual Debut
Age of Sexual Debut among Young Gay-identified Sexual Minority Men
Homonegativity in Britain
Earlier Sexual Debut and Exchange Sex among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Kazakhstan
Association Between Age of Anal Sex Debut and Adult Health Behaviors Among Sexual Minoritized Men Living with HIV
Public Opinion toward Homosexuality and Gay Rights in Great Britain
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |