Characteristics of 155 men who have sex with men at study inclusion of the syndemic-based intervention (syn.bas.in) study at the STI outpatient clinic in Amsterdam, 2016–2017
| Intervention (n=76) | Control (n=79) | |
| Demographics | ||
| Age (years) | ||
| Median (IQR) | 46 (35–52) | 42 (33–49) |
| Country of origin | ||
| The Netherlands | 54 (71%) | 49 (62%) |
| Non-Dutch high-income country | 7 (9%) | 13 (16%) |
| Other | 15 (20%) | 17 (22%) |
| Educational level | ||
| Low and middle | 15 (20%) | 22 (28%) |
| High | 61 (80%) | 57 (72%) |
| Sexual health/behaviour characteristics | ||
| Number of sex partners (3 months) | ||
| Median (IQR) | 15 (6.5–24.5) | 13 (6–26) |
| Condomless anal sex (CAS) | ||
| No CAS | 13 (17%) | 12 (15%) |
| Insertive CAS only | 4 (5%) | 4 (5%) |
| Receptive CAS only | 7 (9%) | 12 (15%) |
| Insertive and receptive CAS | 52 (68%) | 50 (64%) |
| Number of CAS acts with casual partners (3 months) | ||
| Median (IQR) | 5.5 (2–16.5) | 5 (1–18) |
| HIV status | ||
| HIV-negative | 25 (33%) | 27 (34%) |
| HIV-positive | 51 (67%) | 52 (66%) |
| STI | ||
| Chlamydia | 3 (4%) | 11 (14%) |
| Gonorrhoea | 8 (11%) | 12 (15%) |
| Syphilis (recent, stage 1 or 2) | 5 (7%) | 3 (4%) |
| New HIV diagnosis | 0/24 (0%) | 1/27 (4%) |
| Hepatitis C | 0 | 0 |
| Any bacterial STI (chlamydia, gonorrhoea or syphilis) | 14 (19%) | 22 (28%) |
| Substance use during sex in the past 3 months* | ||
| Alcohol | 24 (33%) | 26 (34%) |
| Amphetamine | 17 (24%) | 20 (26%) |
| Cannabis | 20 (28%) | 25 (33% |
| Cocaine | 16 (22%) | 14 (18%) |
| Erectile dysfunction drugs | 53 (74%) | 49 (64%) |
| GHB/GBL | 31 (43%) | 34 (45%) |
| Ketamine | 9 (13%) | 19 (25%) |
| Methamphetamine | 9 (13%) | 12 (16%) |
| Mephedrone | 5 (7%) | 5 (7%) |
| Nitrites | 52 (72%) | 53 (70%) |
| XTC/MDMA | 34 (47%) | 33 (43%) |
| Other | 1 (1%) | 0 (0%) |
| Tobacco (in general) | 24 (33%) | 29 (38%) |
| Mental health-related problem domains† | ||
| Alcohol use disorder | ||
| AUDIT score ≥8 | 19 (25%) | 28 (36%) |
| Drug use disorder | ||
| DUDIT score ≥8 | 36 (47%) | 40 (51%) |
| Sexual compulsivity | ||
| SCS score ≥24 | 17 (22%) | 11 (14%) |
| Anxiety disorder or depression | ||
| HADS depression score ≥8 | 11 (14%) | 15 (19%) |
| HADS anxiety score ≥8 | 21 (28%) | 26 (33%) |
| ADHD | ||
| Score ≥4 | 8 (11%) | 6 (8%) |
| Alexithymia | ||
| Score 52–62 (possible indication) | 20 (26%) | 12 (15%) |
| Score >62 (indication) | 12 (16%) | 11 (14%) |
| Partner violence (yes) | 4 (5%) | 8 (10%) |
| Childhood abuse (yes) | 9 (12%) | 8 (10%) |
| Discrimination | ||
| Median (IQR) | 13 (11–17) | 14 (10–17) |
| Score indicates positive on at least one mental health-related issue | 59 (78%) | 69 (88%) |
| Self-reported psychosocial care preceding year | 23 (30%) | 25 (32%) |
*Four missing in the intervention group, three in the control group.
†One missing in the control group.
ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; AUDIT, Alcohol Use Dependency Identification Test; DUDIT, Drug Use Dependency Identification Test; GBL, gamma-butyrolactone; GHB, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; SCS, Sexual Compulsivity Scale; XTC, ecstasy.