Authors: Dirk Sander & Axel J Schmidt.
Suggested citation: Sander D, Schmidt AJ (2025). Zur regionalen Verbreitung von Chemsex in Deutschlandy (EMIS-2024). Deutsche Aidshilfe, Berlin.
Abstract:
Chemsex—the use of psychoactive stimulant substances to enhance and prolong sexualised social encounters—has become a significant public health issue in recent years. Member organisations of the AIDS service sector have implemented targeted support services and provide education and training for counselling, care, and peer-led self-help.
For the planning and delivery of health interventions, it is essential to understand how many people are affected by health impairments associated with substance use in sexual settings. Such information determines the level and distribution of resources required across prevention, counselling, self-help, and therapeutic services in order to prevent or reduce health-related harms.
Accordingly, this analysis uses data from EMIS-2024, together with population estimates, to describe the prevalence of chemsex-related behaviours in Germany, differentiated by federal states and selected larger cities.
Our calculations indicate that the alignment between existing services and potential needs points to a marked underprovision. Existing services should therefore be expanded and new approaches developed. These approaches must be capable of reducing existing stigma related to (homo)sexuality and substance use, thereby facilitating access to services for those affected.