{
  "abstract": "BackgroundChemsex, drug use before/during sex to facilitate and enhance the experience, is undertaken by a minority of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), but evidence of chemsex prevalence in England is limited.\n\nThis study describes trends in chemsex prevalence between 2022-2025 and identifies factors associated with chemsex amongst GBMSM in England.\n\nMethodsData from the RiiSH study (2022-2025), an annual online cross-sectional survey of GBMSM recruited through social networking/dating apps and community partners, were analysed.\n\nTrends in chemsex prevalence and adjusted prevalence were estimated using log-binomial regression models.\n\nThe following seven variables were candidate factors associated with chemsex and were assessed through logistic regression: age, sexual orientation, education, employment, HIV status, HIV PrEP use, and sexual health service (SHS) use.\n\nResults5728 GBMSM were included in this study. Adjusted chemsex prevalence varied from 6.1% in 2022 to 4.2% in 2023, 5.1% in 2024 and 6.8% in 2025.\n\nChemsex was more likely in GBMSM who were: gay (aOR=1.57 versus other sexual orientations; 95%CI 1.11-2.29, p=0.01), unemployed (aOR=3.08 versus employed full-time; 95%CI 2.19-4.26, p<0.001); aged 35-59 versus 16-34 years (p<0.001), with recent HIV PrEP use (aOR=3.79 versus no recent use; 95%CI 2.63-5.56, p<0.001), SHS use (aOR=2.23 versus no recent use; 95%CI 1.76-2.83, p<0.001), and living with HIV (aOR=3.16 versus negative/unknown HIV status; 95%CI 2.43-4.09, p<0.001).\n\nConclusionsChemsex prevalence was low and stable between 2022-2025. PrEP and SHS use were associated with chemsex, supporting integration of specialist support services within SHS.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Field Epidemiology Training Programme, UKHSA; Immunisation and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Division, UKHSA"
  ],
  "article_type": "PUBLISHAHEADOFPRINT",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "J.-M. Yuan"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. Viviani"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Mullen"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Ogaz"
    },
    {
      "name": "H. Mohammed"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e6at84b1xpnae.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.19.26365930",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.26365930v1.full",
  "id": "e6at84b1xpnae",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.26365930v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "medrxiv",
      "sexual and reproductive health"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2713|HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223081898",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.26365930v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-19",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e6at84b1xpnae.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:22Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.19.26365930",
      "source": "medrxiv",
      "url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.26365930v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "medrxiv:sexual and reproductive health",
      "subfield": "reproductive-child"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Trends in, and factors associated with, chemsex in a community sample of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in England, 2022-2025",
  "title_text": "Trends in, and factors associated with, chemsex in a community sample of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in England, 2022-2025",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:21:22Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/e6at84b1xpnae",
  "venue": "medRxiv",
  "versions": []
}