Table 2

Univariate and multivariable analyses for factors associated with engaging in chemsex in the past 12 months compared with other sexualised drug use

						Univariate	Adjusted model
	MSM engaged in other sexualised drug use (n=570)		MSM engaged in chemsex (n=99)			Odds Ratio (95% CI)	adjusted Odds Ratio (95% CI)
	n or mean	% or SD	n or mean	% or SD	Row %
Sexuality
Homosexual	497	87%	90	91%	15	Ref
Bisexual	40	7%	4	4%	9	0.55 (0.19 to 1.58)
Queer	23	4%	3	3%	12	0.72 (0.21 to 2.45)
Age group
18–24	154	27%	20	20%	11	Ref
25–34	198	35%	42	42%	18	1.63 (0.92 to 2.90)
35–49	152	27%	34	34%	18	1.72 (0.95 to 3.13)
≥50	65	11%	3	3%	4	0.36 (0.10 to 1.24)
Ethnicity
White	548	96%	89	90%	14	Ref
Person of colour	22	4%	10	10%	31	2.80 (1.28 to 6.11)*
Country of birth
UK	497	87%	80	81%	14	Ref	Ref
Not UK	57	10%	19	19%	25	2.07 (1.17 to 3.66)*	2.02 (1.05 to 3.86)*
Education
University or higher	337	59%	64	65%	16	Ref
Qualifications at 18	154	27%	22	22%	13	0.75 (0.45 to 1.27)
Qualifications at 16 or lower	63	11%	12	11%	16	1.00 (0.51 to 1.97)
Work status
Full time	356	62%	70	71%	16	Ref
Part-time	38	7%	6	6%	14	0.80 (0.33 to 1.97)
Student	73	13%	6	6%	8	0.42 (0.18 to 1.00)
Unemployed	20	4%	4	4%	17	1.02 (0.34 to 3.07)
Other (sick leave, retired, carer)	78	14%	13	13%	14	0.85 (0.45 to 1.61)
Relationship status
Living with partner	202	35%	31	31%	13	Ref
Relationship not living with partner	105	18%	15	15%	13	0.93 (0.48 to 1.80)
Relationship with multiple	14	2%	4	4%	22	1.85 (0.57 to 6.00)
Single	250	44%	49	49%	16	1.27 (0.78 to 2.07)
Population density per hectare
<5	126	22%	10	10%	7	Ref	Ref
5–20	120	21%	7	7%	6	0.74 (0.27 to 1.99)	0.59 (0.21 to 1.69)
20–41	139	24%	27	27%	16	2.45 (1.14 to 5.26)*	1.86 (0.82 to 4.21)
>41	181	32%	55	56%	23	3.83 (1.88 to 7.80)***	2.69 (1.26 to 5.74)*
Internalised homophobia
Low	373	65%	71	72%	16	Ref
High	189	33%	24	24%	11	0.67 (0.41 to 1.09)
Discrimination sexuality
None	294	52%	46	46%	14	Ref
Any setting	248	44%	49	49%	16	1.26 (0.82 to 1.95)
Perceived health
Fair/good/very good	499	88%	81	82%	14	Ref
Very poor/poor	72	13%	18	18%	20	1.54 (0.87 to 2.72)
Psychological distress
Normal	130	23%	23	23%	15	Ref
Moderate	131	23%	23	23%	15	0.99 (0.53 to 1.86)
High	133	23%	19	19%	13	0.81 (0.42 to 1.55)
Very high	172	30%	31	31%	15	1.02 (0.57 to 1.83)
Diagnosed STI
None	448	79%	63	64%	12	Ref
STI diagnosis	99	17%	36	36%	27	2.59 (1.63 to 4.12)***
Not stated	24	4%	0	0%	0	–
Attended genitourinary medicine
No	186	33%	13	13%	7	Ref
Yes	374	65%	83	84%	18	3.18 (1.72 to 5.85)***
Not sure	7	1%	2	2%	22	4.09 (0.77 to 21.70)
Number of men anal intercourse in the past 12 months
0–1	175	31%	7	7%	4	Ref
2–5	171	30%	19	19%	10	2.78 (1.14 to 6.78)
6–10	105	18%	21	21%	17	5.00 (2.06 to 12.16)***
>10	119	21%	52	53%	30	10.92 (4.80 to 24.87)
Number of men without condom anal intercourse in the past 12 months
0–1	338	59%	23	23%	6	Ref	Ref
2–5	143	25%	27	27%	16	2.78 (1.54 to 5.00)**	2.15 (0.85 to 5.41)
6–10	49	9%	14	14%	22	4.20 (2.03 to 8.70)***	4.02 (1.60 to 10.12)**
>10	39	7%	35	35%	47	13.19 (7.08 to 24.56)***	7.86 (3.38 to 18.30)***
Sexual contact without consent in the past 12 months
No	512	90%	83	84%	14	Ref
Yes	34	6%	7	7%	17	1.27 (0.55 to 2.96)
Unsure	15	3%	9	9%	38	3.70 (1.57 to 8.73)**
HIV status
Negative	443	78%	53	54%	11	Ref
Negative, on PrEP	50	9%	21	21%	30	3.51 (1.96 to 6.29)***
Positive	35	6%	20	20%	36	4.78 (2.57 to 8.87)***
Don’t know	43	8%	5	5%	10	0.97 (0.37 to 2.56)
Sexual self-efficacy
High	538	94%	77	78%	13	Ref	Ref
Low	25	4%	19	19%	43	5.31 (2.79 to 10.10)***	4.52 (2.18 to 9.40)***
Taken image or performance-enhancing drugs in the past 12 months?
No	538	94%	91	92%	14	Ref
Yes	30	5%	6	6%	17	1.18 (0.48 to 2.92)
Body satisfaction	41.0	12.6	42.9	13.1		1.01 (1.00 to 1.03)
Loneliness score	5.5	1.8	5.5	1.7		1.00 (0.89 to 1.13)
Satisfaction with life	19.7	7.7	19	7.1		0.99 (0.96 to 1.02)
Sexual satisfaction	42.3	8.9	43.6	7.5		1.02 (0.99 to 1.04)

*P<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001.
MSM, men who have sex with men; PrEP, pre-exposure prophylaxis; Ref, reference.