High Rates of Drug Use and Chemsex Among PrEP Users and People with HIV in Milan Highlight Need for Targeted Interventions.
AIDS and behavior June 9, 2025 Chiara Fusetti, Enrico Caruso, Andrea Giacomelli et al. 2 citations
Among 420 respondents attending two STI services in Milan, 40% reported current drug use and 16% engaged in chemsex, with polydrug use common. Cocaine, mephedrone, and MDMA were the most used substances. Over a third of drug users did not disclose their use to healthcare providers, often because clinicians did not ask or patients saw it as irrelevant. Most respondents knew people who used substances, and 90.6% of those perceived an increase in use within their community. The findings suggest a need for greater healthcare provider awareness and stigma-free environments to support risk reduction for chemsex users.