Substance Use Disorder in Chemsex Practice (TU CHEMSEX)

Substance Use Disorder in Chemsex Practice: Evaluation of the Prevalence of the Disorder Among Users Via an Online Self-questionnaire

The main aim of this descriptive cross-sectional study is to assess the prevalence of chemsex substance use disorder among chemsexers via an online self-questionnaire.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Addiction Chemical; Use, Substance
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Online self-questionnaire.

Detailed Description

Chemsex appeared in Europe around 2006 and in France in 2010. It involves the use of psychoactive substances in a sexual context to enhance, initiate, facilitate or prolong sexual intercourse through the psychoactive effects of the molecules consumed. These molecules are essentially synthetic cathinones, GHB/GBL, MDMA, methamphetamines, cocaine and ketamine. These products are often used in combination with erectile dysfunction treatments (side effects of the molecules). This practice is thought to affect almost 20% of MSM.

This use has numerous social, somatic, psychiatric and addictive consequences. Studies have mainly focused on infectious risks, psychiatric complications (e.g. anxiety and depression) or the prevalence of this phenomenon. However, no study has assessed the prevalence of chemsex-related substance use disorders among these users.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 1000
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Melina FATSEAS; Phone Number: 05 24 54 90 00; Email: melina.fatseas@chu-bordeaux.fr
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Helen SAVARIEAU; Phone Number: 05 56 56 35 56; Email: hsavarieau@ch-perrens.fr

Study Locations

• France
  • Bordeaux, France, 33076
    • Centre Hospitalier Charles Perrens
    • Contact: helen SAVARIEAU; Phone Number: 0556563556; Email: hsavarieau@ch-perrens.fr
    • Contact: Melina FATSEAS, MD, Prof; Phone Number: 0524549000; Email: melina.fatseas@chu-bordeaux.fr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Be 18 years of age or older.
• Proficiency in written French
• Have practised chemsex at least once in the last 12 months.
• Agree to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Have not experimented with chemsex in the last 12 months
• Participation in other ongoing research
• Insufficient written comprehension of French

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
DSM-5 diagnosis of substance use disorder for chemsex.	Assessment of the prevalence of chemsex substance use disorder among chemsexers via an online self-questionnaire.	1 day

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Describing the sociodemographic characteristics of this population	Socio-demographic characteristics	1 day
Describing the consumption practices of this population	Consumption practices	1 day
Describing the sexual practices of this population	Sexual practices	1 day
Explore the existence of chemsex use disorder as a clinical entity in its own right	DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for substance use disorder, adapted to assess chemsex addiction as a single clinical entity	1 day

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Centre Hospitalier Charles Perrens, Bordeaux

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Diestelmann M, Zangl A, Herrle I, Koch E, Graw M, Paul LD. MDPV in forensic routine cases: Psychotic and aggressive behavior in relation to plasma concentrations. Forensic Sci Int. 2018 Feb;283:72-84. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2017.12.003. Epub 2017 Dec 8.
• Blanc JV, Burdairon JD, Malandain L, Ferreri F, Mouchabac S, Adrien V. Attachment and Mental Health of Men Having Sex with Men Engaging in Chemsex: Is Substance Abuse Only the Tip of the Iceberg? J Homosex. 2023 Oct 10:1-20. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2023.2266086. Online ahead of print.
• Serre A, Vuillot O, Eiden C, Gambier J, Berger A, Mathieu O, Nefau T, Sebbane M, Donnadieu-Rigole H, Peyriere H. Acute Psychiatric Disorders Related to Fake Cathinone: Ephylone. J Anal Toxicol. 2019 Aug 23;43(7):e1-e2. doi: 10.1093/jat/bkz020. No abstract available.
• Evers YJ, Van Liere GAFS, Hoebe CJPA, Dukers-Muijrers NHTM. Chemsex among men who have sex with men living outside major cities and associations with sexually transmitted infections: A cross-sectional study in the Netherlands. PLoS One. 2019 May 14;14(5):e0216732. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216732. eCollection 2019.
• Gilbart VL, Simms I, Gobin M, Oliver I, Hughes G. High-risk drug practices in men who have sex with men. Lancet. 2013 Apr 20;381(9875):1358-1359. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60882-X. No abstract available.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): July 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): April 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 17, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 21, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): June 27, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 27, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 21, 2024
• Last Verified: June 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Substance-Related Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2024-A00737-40

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No