Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33108566›Full record

SynthesisArchives of sexual behavior2021

Psychological and Interpersonal Factors Associated with Sexualized Drug Use Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.

David Lafortune, Martin Blais, Geneviève Miller, Laurence Dion, Frédérick Lalonde, Luc Dargis

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Archives of sexual behavior, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
36citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
4.2field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

36 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 91 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Substance Use Among Gay Men Living in Mexico: Perceptions of Well-Being and Implications for Health.Sexuality research & social policy : journal of NSRC : SR & SP · 2026
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Sexualized drug use factors among rural sexual minority men.The Journal of rural health : official journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association · 2025
    Article
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Review
  19. Review
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

David LafortuneDépartement de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, 455, René-Lévesque Est, Montréal, QC, H2L 4Y2, Canada. lafortune-sgambato.david@uqam.ca.ORCID 0000-0003-2256-2584
Martin BlaisDépartement de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, 455, René-Lévesque Est, Montréal, QC, H2L 4Y2, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-8513-6596
Geneviève MillerDépartement de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, 455, René-Lévesque Est, Montréal, QC, H2L 4Y2, Canada.
Laurence DionDépartement de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, 455, René-Lévesque Est, Montréal, QC, H2L 4Y2, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-1825-0097
Frédérick LalondeDépartement de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, 455, René-Lévesque Est, Montréal, QC, H2L 4Y2, Canada.
Luc DargisDépartement de psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
Université du Québec à Montréal · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Chemsex-the use of specific drugs during planned sexual activity to sustain or enhance sexual functioning (Bourne et al., 2015)-is widely reported as a major public health issue among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) in Western countries. Considering current evidence surrounding Chemsex, we conducted a mixed-methods systematic review regarding psychological and interpersonal factors associated with Chemsex behaviors among GBM. Publications covering Chemsex and psychological or social variables were eligible. Theoretical papers and studies solely presenting physical health outcomes were excluded. 35 English papers published between January 2008 and June 2019 were identified through PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO. We performed a parallel-results convergent synthesis (Hong, Pluye, Bujold, & Wassef, 2017) on results extracted from qualitative and quantitative studies comprising the final corpus. Qualitative data suggest that six mechanisms promote Chemsex-related behaviors: dealing with painful emotions or stressful events; normalization and risk minimization of sexualized drug use; giving into interpersonal pressure or fulfilling desire for community belonging; increasing intimacy or connectedness; enhancing sexual performance and functioning; lessening interpersonal and sexual inhibitions. In quantitative reports, six variable categories emerged: sexual control and self-efficacy; sexual functioning; mental health; attitudes toward substance use; life stressors and internalized stressors; and identification with sexual identities or scenes. This review summarizes key psychological and interpersonal correlates of Chemsex among GBM. Further research is needed to replicate current findings and explore new hypotheses across multiple GBM sociodemographic groups and cultural contexts, following best practices in sampling for hard-to-reach populations.

Indexed as

Interpersonal RelationsHealth Risk BehaviorsHomosexuality, MaleHumansMaleSexual and Gender MinoritiesSexual BehaviorSexual PartnersSubstance-Related DisordersChemsexMen who have sex with menRecreational drugsSexualized drug useSexual orientation

Identifiers

PMID33108566
OpenAlexW3096115473

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.