In terms of substance use, participants were asked about their consumption of illegal drugs in the previous year and previous month or their daily consumption. The list of drugs contained the following substances: nitrates, erectile dysfunction drugs, sedatives, cannabis, synthetic cannabinoids, “ecstasy” (MDMA, known in the context as “pills”), MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine, known in the context as “crystal-amphetamine”, methamphetamine, mephedrone, and synthetic stimulants), GHB/GBL (gamma hydroxybutyrate/gamma butyrolactone), ketamine, LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), cocaine powder, and cocaine base. In the present study, we clustered patterns of drug consumption by using latent class analysis (LCA), which is described in the statistical-analysis section.
We also screened for nicotine dependence, using the Fagerström test, which is a standard instrument for assessing the intensity of physical addiction to nicotine [42 (link)]. It comprises 6 items with 2 or more response options. The final score ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating a high degree of tobacco dependence. Given the suggested cutoff points and our research aims, a 3-level variable was created: non-smoker, low nicotine dependence (0–3), and medium–high nicotine dependence (4 or more).
We also collected data about sexual partners. We asked about sexual partners during the previous 6 months, coded as none (if the individual reported not having sexual activity), steady partner and occasional partner, only steady partner, and only occasional partners. We also recorded the number of sexual partners, and this was categorized into terciles according to the frequencies (tercile 1 [0–3], tercile 2 [3–7], and tercile 3 [7–360]).
Finally, the participants were asked if they had used any of the previously mentioned drugs with the intention of engaging in a long session of one-on-one sex, threesome, or group-sex party in a private home or in a commercial sex venue (sexualized drug use) once in a lifetime, in the previous year, or in the previous month. This variable was coded as no, once in a lifetime, last year, and last month.
We also screened for nicotine dependence, using the Fagerström test, which is a standard instrument for assessing the intensity of physical addiction to nicotine [42 (link)]. It comprises 6 items with 2 or more response options. The final score ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating a high degree of tobacco dependence. Given the suggested cutoff points and our research aims, a 3-level variable was created: non-smoker, low nicotine dependence (0–3), and medium–high nicotine dependence (4 or more).
We also collected data about sexual partners. We asked about sexual partners during the previous 6 months, coded as none (if the individual reported not having sexual activity), steady partner and occasional partner, only steady partner, and only occasional partners. We also recorded the number of sexual partners, and this was categorized into terciles according to the frequencies (tercile 1 [0–3], tercile 2 [3–7], and tercile 3 [7–360]).
Finally, the participants were asked if they had used any of the previously mentioned drugs with the intention of engaging in a long session of one-on-one sex, threesome, or group-sex party in a private home or in a commercial sex venue (sexualized drug use) once in a lifetime, in the previous year, or in the previous month. This variable was coded as no, once in a lifetime, last year, and last month.
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