Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33849517›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2021

Developing and testing of an interactive internet-based intervention to reduce sexual harm of sexualised drug use ('chemsex') among men who have sex with men in Hong Kong: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Edmond P H Choi, Pui Hing Chau, William C W Wong, Jojo Y Y Kowk, Kitty W Y Choi, Eric P F Chow

Open access · goldAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 30% 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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Selection and reporting of usual care comparators when designing primary care trials of complex health interventions: a systematic review.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2025
    Pooled it
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  6. Review
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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 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Edmond P H ChoiSchool of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, 4/F, William M.W. Mong Block 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. h0714919@connect.hku.hk.ORCID 0000-0001-9062-3540
Pui Hing ChauSchool of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, 4/F, William M.W. Mong Block 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
William C W WongDepartment of Family Medicine and Primary Care, University of Hong Kong, Ap Lei Chau, Hong Kong.
Jojo Y Y KowkSchool of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, 4/F, William M.W. Mong Block 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Kitty W Y ChoiSticky Rice Love, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Eric P F ChowMelbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
HKU-Pasteur Research Pole · HKThe University of Melbourne · AUUniversity of Hong Kong · HK

Funding

the Council for the AIDS Trust Fund MSS 338 R
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSexualised drug use, known as 'chemsex' or 'chemfun,' is the practice of intentionally using illicit drugs before or during sexual activates to enhance sexual arousal and pleasure. International and local data have both suggested that chemsex is common among men who have sex with men (MSM). Chemsex is generally seen with the engagement of risky sexual activities and therefore poses a threat regarding the potentially increased spread of human immunodeficiency virus and other sexually transmitted infections. However, little work has been done on the primary prevention of chemsex among MSM. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop and evaluate an interactive internet-based intervention in reducing the sexual harms of chemsex among MSM in Hong Kong,

methodsA two-armed, randomised, parallel-group trial with a three-month follow-up period will be conducted. 250 MSM aged 18 years or the above will be recruited through local non-governmental organisations, social media and by snowballing in Hong Kong. Participants will be randomly allocated into either the intervention (n = 125) or control group (n = 125). The interactive internet-based intervention will be developed based on the theory of planned behaviours. Participants in the control group will receive a web-based intervention without any sexual health information and without any interactive components. The primary outcomes will be self-efficacy in refusing risky sexual behaviours and chemsex, as measured by the Drug Avoidance Self-Efficacy Scale, the Self-Efficacy for Sexual Safety and the Condom Self-Efficacy Scale. Subjects in both groups will be evaluated at baseline and 3 months after baseline. DISCUSSION: To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first interactive internet-based intervention to specifically target chemsex among MSM. This project can help in the development and testing of culturally relevant health promotion programmes that reduce chemsex among MSM. Using an online delivery mode, the intervention is capable of reaching a large population of targets at a relatively low cost and thus has the potential to reduce the public health burden of chemsex and other risky sexual behaviours among MSM in a cost-effective manner.

trial registrationInternational standard randomized controlled trial number (ISRCTN) registry: ISRCTN20134522 registered on 17 March 2021.

Indexed as

Internet-Based InterventionSexual and Gender MinoritiesSubstance-Related DisordersAdolescentHomosexuality, MaleHong KongHumansMaleRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSexual BehaviorChemsexMen who have sex with menRisky sexual behavioursSexual healthSexualised drug use

Identifiers

PMID33849517
PMCPMC8045193
OpenAlexW3156706136

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.