SynthesisFrontiers in public health2025
The complex social, cultural and psychological drivers of the 'chemsex' experiences of men who have sex with men: a systematic review and conceptual thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.
Synthesis in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
What it found
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed.
- Chemsex and childhood trauma: evidence from a explorative matched case-control analysis.European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience · 2026Article
- Patterns of Drug Use Across Social and Sexual Contexts in Spain: Insights From the European Web Survey on Drugs 2024.Archives of sexual behavior · 2026Article
- Experiences, Beliefs, and Dynamics in Chemsex: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- From chemsex to a broader drug-use for sex landscape: Comparing two cross-sectional surveys on men who have sex with men in Italy.International journal of STD & AIDS · 2026Article
- Work, Sex, and Substances: Differences in Self-Reported Chemsex Behaviors Between MSM Sex Workers and Digital Content Creators.Sexuality research & social policy : journal of NSRC : SR & SP · 2026Article
- Pleasure, shame and harm reduction: A qualitative investigation of poppers and sexualized drug use among men who have sex with men in China.The International journal on drug policy · 2026Article
- Article
- Chemsex and uptake of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among adult cisgender gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men worldwide: a systematic review with meta-analysis.EClinicalMedicine · 2026Article
- Overdose risk in the context of chemsex among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.Harm reduction journal · 2026Review
- Editorial: Assessment and management of addictive disorders in sexual and racial minorities.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Chemsex as a Diagnostic Challenge: Toward Recognition in ICD-12 and Integrated Treatment Approaches-A Narrative Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Drugs Used in "Chemsex"/Sexualized Drug Behaviour-Overview of the Related Clinical Psychopharmacological Issues.Brain sciences · 2025Review
- A contextual behavioral model of chemsex: structural equation modeling of psychological predictors of hypersexuality and drug use.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Syndemic Effects of Covid-19 Lockdown on Chemsex and HIV Among MSM in Malaysia: A Narrative Review.Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS CareReview
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Chemsex' is the sexualised use of drugs among men who have sex with men (MSM). Past systematic reviews have primarily focussed on quantitative research exploring the key characteristics and health consequences of chemsex. However, a large body of qualitative literature exists, drawing on different theoretical frameworks. Methods: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of the qualitative research on chemsex was conducted with the aim of exploring the chemsex experiences of MSM in the context of substance misuse and addictions, and to reviewing their underlying theoretical frameworks. Six databases were searched, and 43 papers were included in the review. Results: The thematic synthesis resulted in four key themes: 'characterising chemsex', 'the context around chemsex', 'the chemsex experience', and 'harms, saying safe, and stopping chemsex'. Only nine papers explicitly drew on theoretical frameworks, which were broadly divided into two categories: those which drew on psychological theories, and those that framed chemsex as a social and cultural phenomenon. Discussion: The results of the thematic synthesis add further understanding of the key characteristics of chemsex as well as some of the complex social and psychological drivers which may shape why people have chemsex. Finally, the review highlights the clinical implications and inherent complexities in providing clinical services for those reporting chemsex and the need for greater application of theory to advance our understanding of chemsex and continue to develop appropriate forms of therapeutic support. Systematic review registration: https://osf.io/j6k9r/.
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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.