ArticleJMIR research protocols2026
Development of a Line of Care for the Health of People Who Engage in Chemsex: Protocol for a Multimethod Study.
Article in JMIR research protocols, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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.
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.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Prevalence of Reactive Rapid Test Results for Sexually Transmitted Infections and Associated Factors Among Transgender People Attending Specialized Health Services in Brazil.Infectious disease reports · 2026Article
- Healthcare Access in Chemsex Contexts in Brazil: A Scoping Review and the VIP-Chemsex Model.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2026Review
- The Invisible Barrier: A Scoping Review of Stigma and Nursing Attitudes in Chemsex Care.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
15 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundChemsex, defined as the intentional use of psychoactive substances to enhance sexual experiences, is associated with increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), mental health harms, and disruptions in continuity of care, particularly among men who have sex with men. In Brazil, health services lack an integrated, stigma-sensitive care pathway (CP) for prevention, clinical management, and harm reduction. Embedding a CP within the Health Care Network (HCN) is essential to organize access, continuity, and quality of care.
objectiveThis study aims to develop an evidence-informed CP for people who engage in chemsex, grounded in the needs of users, managers, and health professionals within the HCN, and supported by educational tools and implementation strategies.
methodsThis sequential multimethod study is guided by the Knowledge-to-Action framework. Phase 1 (predevelopment) focuses on establishing partnerships and mapping the local context. Phase 2 (Knowledge Creation) includes (1) cross-sectional surveys with adults from the general population (target n≈1600) to estimate chemsex prevalence and associated factors, and with managers (n≈54) and health professionals (n≈135) to assess knowledge, attitudes, practices, barriers, and stigma; (2) a scoping review following established methodological guidelines; and (3) triangulation and concept mapping to integrate quantitative and qualitative findings. Data will be collected via REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture), online and in person, during testing events. Quantitative analyses will involve descriptive statistics and regression models. Interviews and focus groups will undergo thematic analysis supported by Nvivo software. Educational products will be developed and evaluated for appearance, content, and usability by experts using a content validity index ≥0.78 as a cutoff. Phase 3 (Action Cycle) includes adapting knowledge to the local context, co-designing and validating the CP with stakeholders, piloting implementation in priority municipalities, and establishing monitoring processes. Process indicators (eg, number of trained professionals, educational activities, rapid tests performed, and app engagement) and outcome indicators (eg, STI testing and linkage to care, service use across the HCN) will be monitored through official information systems.
resultsEthical approval was obtained in April 2025. Recruitment and data collection began in June 2025 through online and in-person strategies. By December 2025, 3061 individuals had been screened online, and 1723 participants had undergone rapid testing for STIs. Data collection is expected to conclude by June 2026, followed by data cleaning and preliminary analyses between April and June 2026, inferential and qualitative analyses between July and September 2026, and CP development and validation between October and December 2026.
conclusionsThis protocol will generate a CP tailored to chemsex and validated educational resources to support harm reduction, mental health, and STI prevention within the HCN. Findings are expected to inform inclusive policies, reduce stigma, and strengthen care coordination within Brazil's Unified Health System. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/84068.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.