Amsterdam 2015
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| Abstract #2270 - Chemsex workshop | ||||
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Session: 10.1: Chemsex workshop (Workshop) on Wednesday @ 13.30-14.30 in 202 Chaired by Amanda O'Donovan, Stuart Gibson Authors: Presenting Author: Ms Amanda O'Donovan - Barts Health NHS Trust, United Kingdom |
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| Additional Authors: | ||||
| Aim: To facilitate a workshop which will improve participants understanding of chemsex (the use of recreational drugs within a sexual context), the context in which chemsex use has increased in recent years and it’s impact on sexual risk taking within the MSM population. To increase knowledge and skills about effective ways of understanding and working with chemsex use and sexual risk and provide a review of novel approaches to service provision. | ||||
| Method / Issue: In recent years, there has been a significant increase in MSM transmission of HIV in UK and the USA. Syndemic factors have contributed to the increase in HIV transmission related to chemsex (sex on recreational drugs) in MSM populations. There has also been a related rise in morbidity and mortality rates in HCV infection in this group. The use of recreational drugs to enhance sexual experience partnered with access to geosocial smartphone applications to locate casual sexual partners has been the driver for much of this increase in sexual risk-taking. It has been recognised that the increased prevalence of sex on drugs within the MSM community brings together high-risk behaviours in concentrated clusters and warrant novel interventions and prevention approaches. It also raises distinct challenges for healthcare workers who may struggle to contextualise the activities that occur during the course of a chemsex ‘party’. | ||||
| Results / Comments: This workshop will focus on understanding the interactions between sexual behaviour, pharmacological effects of chems, individual and contextual factors. These include MSM sexual identity, fatigue following 25 years of the HIV epidemic, the role of stigma and the use of social networking applications. | ||||
| Discussion: Participants will develop their understanding of the range of risk related to Chemsex, skills required to negotiate or minimise risk in these contexts and safer sex behaviour relevant to sex on drugs ingroup environments. A positive sexuality position will be adopted and the focus of the workshop is to facilitate the development of a shared understanding of how chemsex meets the sexual and relational needs of clients as well as supporting clients in exploring positive, nourishing and creative aspects of their sexuality.Challenges in establishing accessible and relevant service provision to these populations will also be explored and novel methods of providing support for MSM clients in the UK and US will be reviewed. These includes liaison with health service, the voluntary sector, community groups and the use of peer support and mentorship. Crossworking and sharing of knowledge, models and resources across substance misuse services and sexual health clinics has also been successfully explored in several settings and an overview of these models will be provided as well as discussing the challenges in establishing these. | ||||
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