Profile of psychoactive substance consumption in men who have sex with other men, Colombia – 2019

Authors

  • Sebastian Bedoya Mejia Universidad CES, Colombia
  • Diego Córdoba Alzate Universidad CES, Colombia
  • Nicolás Manjarrés Sierra Universidad CES, Colombia
  • Sara Ramos Jaraba Universidad CES, Colombia
  • Doris Cardona Arango Universidad CES, Colombia
  • Ángela Maria Segura-Cardona Universidad CES, Colombia
  • Dedsy Yajaira Berbesí-Fernández Universidad CES, Colombia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.40.03.339.842

Keywords:

Sexual Behavior, Social Discrimination, Substance-Related Disorders, Sex Work

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the profile of psychoactive substance consumption in men who have sex with men from three cities of Colombia. 

Method: An empirical analytical cross-sectional study was conducted through respondent-driven sampling, with a sample of 1301 men who have sex with other men. Absolute and relative proportions were calculated, and a multiple correspondence analysis was performed, for each city under study, and overall. 

Results: The three cities under study report similar characteristics, with individuals under 30 years old predominating, low and middle economic levels, the majority living with relatives and non-relatives, and approximately 2 out of 10 having casual partners. Over 13.6% engage in sex work, and a prevalence of consumption exceeding 84.1% was found in each city under study. The profile most associated with psychoactive substance consumption was individuals under 25 years old, attending public gathering places such as bars, saunas, and internet cafes. Moreover, these individuals had a high level of education and reported discrimination in the last 12 months. 

Conclusion: The profiles provide essential information for developing public health strategies that effectively address the needs of the MSM population. These strategies should be sensitive to regional differences and consider risk perception, socioeconomic factors, and education to prevent the spread of HIV and promote health in this population. 

Author Biographies

Sebastian Bedoya Mejia, Universidad CES, Colombia

Ph.Dc. Epidemiología y Bioestadística, Escuela de Graduados, Universidad CES. sebedoya@ces.edu.co. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4945-8798.

Diego Córdoba Alzate, Universidad CES, Colombia

Estudiante último año de Medicina, Universidad CES. cordoba.diego @uces.edu.co. https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0870-040X

Nicolás Manjarrés Sierra , Universidad CES, Colombia

Estudiante último año de Medicina, Universidad CES. manjarres.nicolas@uces.edu.co. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2894-8958

Sara Ramos Jaraba , Universidad CES, Colombia

Docente, Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad CES. sramosj@ces.edu.co. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-8638-5209.

Doris Cardona Arango , Universidad CES, Colombia

Ph.D. Demografía. doris.cardona@gmail.com. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4338-588X.

Ángela Maria Segura-Cardona , Universidad CES, Colombia

Directora Escuela de Graduados, Universidad CES. asegura@ces.edu.co. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0010-1413.

Dedsy Yajaira Berbesí-Fernández , Universidad CES, Colombia

Decana Facultad de Enfermería, Universidad CES. dberbesi@ces.edu.co. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1716-957X.

Published

2024-12-17

How to Cite

Bedoya Mejia, S., Córdoba Alzate, D., Manjarrés Sierra , N., Ramos Jaraba , S., Cardona Arango , D., Segura-Cardona , Ángela M., & Berbesí-Fernández , D. Y. . (2024). Profile of psychoactive substance consumption in men who have sex with other men, Colombia – 2019. Salud Uninorte, 40(3), 801–816. https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.40.03.339.842

Issue

Section

Original Article

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