Sexual uses of alcohol and drugs and the associated health risks: a cross sectional study of young people in European cities

Background: Young people in European countries are experiencing high levels of alcohol and drug use and escalating levels of sexually transmitted infections. Individually these represent major public health priorities. Understanding of the association between sex and substance use, and specifically...

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Authors: Bellis, Mark A., Hughes, Karen, Calafat, Amador, Juan, Montse, Ramon Aribau, Anna, Rodríguez, Josep A. (Josep Antoni), Mendes, Fernando, Schnitzer, Susanne, Philips-Howard, Penny
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2008
Country:España
Institution:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repository:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:2445/131909
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/131909
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Joves
Educació sexual per a joves
Consum d'alcohol
Drogues
Youth
Sex instruction for youth
Drinking of alcoholic beverages
Drugs of abuse
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repository_id_str
spelling Sexual uses of alcohol and drugs and the associated health risks: a cross sectional study of young people in European citiesBellis, Mark A.Hughes, KarenCalafat, AmadorJuan, MontseRamon Aribau, AnnaRodríguez, Josep A. (Josep Antoni)Mendes, FernandoSchnitzer, SusannePhilips-Howard, PennyJovesEducació sexual per a jovesConsum d'alcoholDroguesYouthSex instruction for youthDrinking of alcoholic beveragesDrugs of abuseBackground: Young people in European countries are experiencing high levels of alcohol and drug use and escalating levels of sexually transmitted infections. Individually these represent major public health priorities. Understanding of the association between sex and substance use, and specifically the strategic roles for which young people utilise substances to facilitate sexual activity, remains limited. Methods: Respondent driven sampling methodology was used in nine European cities to survey 1,341 16-35 year olds representing youth and younger adults who routinely engage in nightlife. Participants self-completed questionnaires, designed to gather demographic, social, and behavioural data on historic and current substance use and sexual behaviour. Results: Respondents reported strategic use of specific substances for different sexual purposes. Substances differed significantly in the purposes for which each was deployed (e.g. 28.6% of alcohol users use it to facilitate sexual encounters; 26.2% of cocaine users use it to prolong sex) with user demographics also relating to levels of sexual use (e.g. higher levels of: ecstasy use by males to prolong sex; cocaine use by single individuals to enhance sensation and arousal). Associations between substance use and sex started at a young age, with alcohol, cannabis, cocaine or ecstasy use before age 16 all being associated with having had sex before the age of 16 (odds ratios, 3.47, 4.19, 5.73, 9.35 respectively). However, sexes differed and substance use under 16 years was associated with a proportionately greater increase in early sex amongst girls. Respondents' current drug use was associated with having multiple sexual partners. Thus, for instance, regular cocaine users (c.f. never users) were over five times more likely to have had five or more sexual partners in the last 12 months or have paid for sex. Conclusion: An epidemic of recreational drug use and binge drinking exposes millions of young Europeans to routine consumption of substances which alter their sexual decisions and increase their chances of unsafe and regretted sex. For many, substance use has become an integral part of their strategic approach to sex, locking them into continued use. Tackling substances with both physiological and psychological links to sex requires approaching substance use and sexual behaviour in the same way that individuals experience them; as part of the same social process.BioMed Central2019201920082019info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion11 p.application/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/131909Articles publicats en revistes (Sociologia)reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunyainstname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)InglésReproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-8-155BMC Public Health, 2008, vol. 8, num. 155https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-8-155cc-by (c) Bellis, Mark A. et al., 2008http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/esinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:recercat.cat:2445/1319092026-05-29T05:05:01Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Sexual uses of alcohol and drugs and the associated health risks: a cross sectional study of young people in European cities
title Sexual uses of alcohol and drugs and the associated health risks: a cross sectional study of young people in European cities
spellingShingle Sexual uses of alcohol and drugs and the associated health risks: a cross sectional study of young people in European cities
Bellis, Mark A.
Joves
Educació sexual per a joves
Consum d'alcohol
Drogues
Youth
Sex instruction for youth
Drinking of alcoholic beverages
Drugs of abuse
title_short Sexual uses of alcohol and drugs and the associated health risks: a cross sectional study of young people in European cities
title_full Sexual uses of alcohol and drugs and the associated health risks: a cross sectional study of young people in European cities
title_fullStr Sexual uses of alcohol and drugs and the associated health risks: a cross sectional study of young people in European cities
title_full_unstemmed Sexual uses of alcohol and drugs and the associated health risks: a cross sectional study of young people in European cities
title_sort Sexual uses of alcohol and drugs and the associated health risks: a cross sectional study of young people in European cities
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Bellis, Mark A.
Hughes, Karen
Calafat, Amador
Juan, Montse
Ramon Aribau, Anna
Rodríguez, Josep A. (Josep Antoni)
Mendes, Fernando
Schnitzer, Susanne
Philips-Howard, Penny
author Bellis, Mark A.
author_facet Bellis, Mark A.
Hughes, Karen
Calafat, Amador
Juan, Montse
Ramon Aribau, Anna
Rodríguez, Josep A. (Josep Antoni)
Mendes, Fernando
Schnitzer, Susanne
Philips-Howard, Penny
author_role author
author2 Hughes, Karen
Calafat, Amador
Juan, Montse
Ramon Aribau, Anna
Rodríguez, Josep A. (Josep Antoni)
Mendes, Fernando
Schnitzer, Susanne
Philips-Howard, Penny
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Joves
Educació sexual per a joves
Consum d'alcohol
Drogues
Youth
Sex instruction for youth
Drinking of alcoholic beverages
Drugs of abuse
topic Joves
Educació sexual per a joves
Consum d'alcohol
Drogues
Youth
Sex instruction for youth
Drinking of alcoholic beverages
Drugs of abuse
description Background: Young people in European countries are experiencing high levels of alcohol and drug use and escalating levels of sexually transmitted infections. Individually these represent major public health priorities. Understanding of the association between sex and substance use, and specifically the strategic roles for which young people utilise substances to facilitate sexual activity, remains limited. Methods: Respondent driven sampling methodology was used in nine European cities to survey 1,341 16-35 year olds representing youth and younger adults who routinely engage in nightlife. Participants self-completed questionnaires, designed to gather demographic, social, and behavioural data on historic and current substance use and sexual behaviour. Results: Respondents reported strategic use of specific substances for different sexual purposes. Substances differed significantly in the purposes for which each was deployed (e.g. 28.6% of alcohol users use it to facilitate sexual encounters; 26.2% of cocaine users use it to prolong sex) with user demographics also relating to levels of sexual use (e.g. higher levels of: ecstasy use by males to prolong sex; cocaine use by single individuals to enhance sensation and arousal). Associations between substance use and sex started at a young age, with alcohol, cannabis, cocaine or ecstasy use before age 16 all being associated with having had sex before the age of 16 (odds ratios, 3.47, 4.19, 5.73, 9.35 respectively). However, sexes differed and substance use under 16 years was associated with a proportionately greater increase in early sex amongst girls. Respondents' current drug use was associated with having multiple sexual partners. Thus, for instance, regular cocaine users (c.f. never users) were over five times more likely to have had five or more sexual partners in the last 12 months or have paid for sex. Conclusion: An epidemic of recreational drug use and binge drinking exposes millions of young Europeans to routine consumption of substances which alter their sexual decisions and increase their chances of unsafe and regretted sex. For many, substance use has become an integral part of their strategic approach to sex, locking them into continued use. Tackling substances with both physiological and psychological links to sex requires approaching substance use and sexual behaviour in the same way that individuals experience them; as part of the same social process.
publishDate 2008
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2008
2019
2019
2019
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/131909
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/131909
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Reproducció del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-8-155
BMC Public Health, 2008, vol. 8, num. 155
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-8-155
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv cc-by (c) Bellis, Mark A. et al., 2008
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv cc-by (c) Bellis, Mark A. et al., 2008
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv 11 p.
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv BioMed Central
publisher.none.fl_str_mv BioMed Central
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (Sociologia)
reponame:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
instname:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
instname_str Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
reponame_str Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
collection Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15,811543

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