The use of dating apps has expanded, especially among LGBTQ+ populations, promoting casual sexual interactions. On these platforms, codes and emojis facilitate communication of sexual preferences, influencing risk behaviors for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). An emerging practice is chemsex, defined as the intentional use of psychoactive substances to enhance performance and sexual pleasure, associated with greater exposure to STIs. Despite growing visibility, robust national data remain scarce. Understanding these dynamics is essential to improve clinician–patient approaches and support prevention strategies. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between dating app use, sexual behavior, and STI risk, focusing on clinical and public health implications. Qualitative, exploratory study based on the first national survey of dating app users (2019), review of recent scientific articles, and epidemiological data. Behavioral trends were analyzed, including the impact of PrEP and chemsex on STI vulnerability. Most users of these platforms are young men who have sex with men (MSM). It is estimated that about 1 million Brazilians have received a medical diagnosis of an STI. Recent studies indicate that 54% of sexually active people carry HPV, 80% have had contact with genital herpes, and syphilis detection increased by 23% in recent years. PrEP adherence has contributed to reducing HIV incidence, but without equivalent impact on transmission of other STIs. Chemsex has been strongly associated with reduced condom use, increased number of sexual partners, and more frequent high-risk sexual practices. Dating apps expand access to partners but also facilitate risk behaviors and psychoactive substance use. There is an urgent need for more specific data and for training health professionals to address these realities ethically, without stigma, and centered on comprehensive sexual health care.
Mathias et al. (Sun,) studied this question.