A Longitudinal Investigation of Chemsex and Its Relationship with Depressive Symptoms Among Gay, Bisexual Men and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in Taiwan

Background: This study examines chemsex patterns among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and their link to depression using a longitudinal approach. Recognizing and addressing chemsex is crucial for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care providers, as it supports harm reduction and effective HIV prevention and treatment for GBMSM. Methods: From 2017 to 2021, GBMSM at two sexual health clinics completed follow-up questionnaires. We identified chemsex trajectories using group-based modeling and assessed their association with depressive symptoms over two years using multivariable logistic models. Results: Among 256 GBMSM, three chemsex patterns were found: “never or rarely engaged” (87.4%), “consistently engaged” (8.8%), and “high, decreasing and reinitiated” (3.8%). There were no significant differences in depressive symptoms between the “never or rarely engaged” group and the other patterns. Conclusions: The study reveals diverse chemsex behaviors but does not provide clear evidence linking these patterns to differences in depressive symptoms among GBMSM.