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Freese J, Segura ER, Gutierrez J, Lake JE, Cabello R, Clark JL, Blair C. Sexual network characteristics and partnership types among men who have sex with men diagnosed with syphilis, gonorrhoea and/or chlamydia in Lima, Peru. Sex Transm Infect 2024; 100:84-90. [PMID: 38124224 PMCID: PMC10922481 DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2023-055910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Sexual networks are known to structure sexually transmitted infection (STI) transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM). We sought to estimate the risks of STI diagnosis for various partnership types within these networks. METHODS Our cross-sectional survey analysed data from 1376 MSM screened for a partner management intervention in Lima, Peru. Participants were tested for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhoea (NG) and chlamydia (CT) and completed surveys on their demographics, sexual identity/role, HIV status, partnership types and sexual network from the prior 90 days. χ2 and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests compared participants without an STI to those diagnosed with (1) syphilis, (2) NG and/or CT (NG/CT) and (3) syphilis and NG/CT coinfection (coinfection). RESULTS 40.8% (n=561/1376) of participants were diagnosed with an STI (syphilis: 14.9%, NG/CT: 16.4%, coinfection: 9.5%). 47.9% of all participants were living with HIV and 8.9% were newly diagnosed. A greater proportion of participants with syphilis and coinfection were living with HIV (73.5%, p<0.001; 71.0%, p<0.001) compared with those with NG/CT (47.8%) or no STI (37.8%). Participants with syphilis more often reported sex-on-premises venues (SOPVs) as the location of their last sexual encounter (51.7%, p=0.038) while those with NG/CT tended to meet their last sexual partner online (72.8%, p=0.031). Respondents with coinfection were the only STI group more likely to report transactional sex than participants without an STI (31.3%, p=0.039). CONCLUSIONS Sexual networks and partnership types of Peruvian MSM are associated with differential risks for STIs. Participants diagnosed with syphilis tended to meet single-encounter casual partners at SOPV, while MSM with NG/CT were younger and often contacted casual partners online. Coinfection had higher frequency of transactional sex. These findings suggest the potential importance of public health interventions through combined syphilis/HIV screening at SOPV, syphilis screening at routine clinic appointments for MSM living with HIV and directed advertisements and/or access to NG/CT testing through online platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Freese
- University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, South American Program in HIV Prevention Research, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Eddy R Segura
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru
| | | | | | | | - Jesse L Clark
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Cherie Blair
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Phillips Ii G, Rodriguez-Ortiz AE, Adewumi OM, Banner K, Adetunji A, Awolude OA, Olayinka OA, Simons LM, Hultquist JF, Ozer EA, Kapogiannis B, Kuhns LM, Garofalo R, Taiwo B, Birkett M, Lorenzo-Redondo R. Social/Sexual Networks of People Newly Diagnosed with HIV in Ibadan, Nigeria. AIDS Behav 2024; 28:300-309. [PMID: 37812271 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-023-04200-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in Nigeria are ten times more likely to be living with HIV-1 than other young men. Due to stigma and criminalization of same-sex sexual behavior, YMSM sexual networks are likely to overlap with those of the general population, leading to a generalized HIV-1 epidemic. Due to limited research on social/sexual network dynamics related to HIV-1 in Nigeria, our study focused on YMSM and sought to assess the feasibility and acceptability of collecting social and sexual network data in Network Canvas from individuals newly diagnosed with HIV-1 in Ibadan, Nigeria. The Network Canvas software was piloted at three sites in Ibadan, Nigeria to collect social/sexual network data from 151 individuals newly diagnosed with HIV-1. Our study sample included 37.7% YMSM; participants reported a mean of 2.6 social alters and 2.6 sexual alters. From the 151 egos and 634 alters, 85 potential unique individuals (194 total) were identified; 65 egos/alters were collapsed into 25 unique individuals. Our success collecting network data from individuals newly diagnosed with HIV-1 in Ibadan demonstrates clear feasibility and acceptability of the approach and the use of Network Canvas to capture and manage these data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Phillips Ii
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | | | | | - Katelyn Banner
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Adedotun Adetunji
- Department of Family Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Lacy M Simons
- Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Northwestern University Institute for Global Health, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Judd F Hultquist
- Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Northwestern University Institute for Global Health, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Egon A Ozer
- Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Northwestern University Institute for Global Health, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Bill Kapogiannis
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lisa M Kuhns
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Robert Garofalo
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Babafemi Taiwo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Michelle Birkett
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ramon Lorenzo-Redondo
- Center for Pathogen Genomics and Microbial Evolution, Northwestern University Institute for Global Health, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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Olawore O, Crowell TA, Ketende SC, Ramadhani HO, Liu H, Ake JA, Kokogho A, Adebajo S, Charurat ME, Nowak RG, Baral SD. Individual and partnership characteristics associated with consistent condom use in a cohort of cisgender men who have sex with men and transgender women in Nigeria. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1277. [PMID: 34193101 PMCID: PMC8243438 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11275-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study reports on the individual and partnership characteristics that influence consistent condom use in cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) attending trusted community centers that provide HIV prevention and treatment services in Nigeria. Methods Adults assigned male at birth who reported anal sex with male partners who enrolled between March 2013–2019 and had information about at least one male sexual partner were included in these analyses. At enrollment and follow-up visits every 3 months for up to 18 months, participants were administered detailed questionnaires that collected information about demographics, sexual practices, HIV risk behaviors, and characteristics and behaviors of their partners in the previous year (at enrollment) or the preceding 3 to 6-months (at follow-up visits). Logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations were used to assess the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of individual, partner, and partnership characteristics associated with consistent condom use (CCU). A participant was defined as consistently using condom if they reported always using condoms all the time they had insertive, receptive or both types of anal sex with a male partner. Results At the individual level, CCU was positively associated with higher education, disclosure of key population status to a healthcare worker and negatively associated with poor access to condoms. At the partner and partnership level, CCU was associated with partners with higher education (aOR: 1.36; 95% CI: 1.07–1.72), casual relationships (aOR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.11–1.34) and relationships in which partners encouraged the participant to use condoms with other partners (aOR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02–1.28). Relationships in which the partner was married to a woman and/or the partner’s HIV status positive or unknown were negatively associated with CCU. Conclusions These findings suggest that individuals in relationships where partners were more open and encouraged safer sex were more likely to consistently use condoms. HIV prevention programs should consider leveraging communication to sexual partners to encourage condom use as this may support condom use with other sexual partners. Given sustained and growing HIV and STI epidemics among MSM and TGW, even with pre-exposure prophylaxis scale-up, it is crucial to continue to study optimal implementation strategies to increase condom use. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-11275-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwasolape Olawore
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Suite 3507, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Trevor A Crowell
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA.,Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sosthenes C Ketende
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Suite 3507, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Habib O Ramadhani
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hongjie Liu
- School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Julie A Ake
- U.S. Military HIV Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Afoke Kokogho
- HJF Medical Research International, Abuja, Nigeria.,U.S. Army Medical Research Directorate - Africa, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Sylvia Adebajo
- Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation (MGIC), Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Man E Charurat
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca G Nowak
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stefan D Baral
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Suite 3507, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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XIANG Y, FUJIMOTO K, LI F, WANG Q, DEL VECCHIO N, SCHNEIDER J, ZHI D, TAO C. Identifying influential neighbors in social networks and venue affiliations among young MSM: a data science approach to predict HIV infection. AIDS 2021; 35:S65-S73. [PMID: 33306549 PMCID: PMC8058230 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000002784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Young MSM (YMSM) bear a disproportionate burden of HIV infection in the United States and their risks of acquiring HIV may be shaped by complex multilayer social networks. These networks are formed through not only direct contact with social/sex partners but also indirect anonymous contacts encountered when attending social venues. We introduced a new application of a state-of-the-art graph-based deep learning method to predict HIV infection that can identify influential neighbors within these multiple network contexts. DESIGN AND METHODS We used empirical network data among YMSM aged 16-29 years old collected from Houston and Chicago in the United States between 2014 and 2016. A computational framework GAT-HIV (Graph Attention Networks for HIV) was proposed to predict HIV infections by identifying influential neighbors within social networks. These networks were formed by multiple relations constituted of social/sex partners and shared venue attendances, and using individual-level variables. Further, GAT-HIV was extended to combine multiple social networks using multigraph GAT methods. A visualization tool was also developed to highlight influential network members for each individual within the multiple social networks. RESULTS The multigraph GAT-HIV models obtained average AUC values of 0.776 and 0.824 for Chicago and Houston, respectively, performing better than empirical predictive models (e.g. AUCs of random forest: 0.758 and 0.798). GAT-HIV on single networks also delivered promising prediction performances. CONCLUSION The proposed methods provide a comprehensive and interpretable framework for graph-based modeling that may inform effective HIV prevention intervention strategies among populations most vulnerable to HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang XIANG
- School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kayo FUJIMOTO
- Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Fang LI
- School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Qing WANG
- School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Natascha DEL VECCHIO
- Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - John SCHNEIDER
- Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Departments of Medicine and Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Degui ZHI
- School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Cui TAO
- School of Biomedical Informatics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas, USA
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Valente PK, Biello KB, Edeza A, Klasko-Foster L, Kuhns LM, Reisner SL, Garofalo R, Mimiaga MJ. Psychosocial Problems and Vulnerability to HIV in a Multi-City Prospective Cohort of Young Transgender Women in the United States: A Structural Equation Modeling Study. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2021; 86:544-551. [PMID: 33661822 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000002615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gender-based stigma contributes to increased HIV prevalence, but little is known about psychosocial mechanisms linking stigma and HIV risk among young transgender women (YTW). SETTING This study uses data from Project LifeSkills, a randomized controlled efficacy trial of an empowerment-based HIV prevention intervention for YTW (N = 233). YTW were recruited in Boston, MA, and Chicago, IL, between 2012 and 2015 and completed study assessment visits at baseline and months 4 and 12. METHODS Using autoregressive structural equation modeling, we examined whether poor social support and psychological distress at 4 months mediate the prospective relationship between gender-based stigma at baseline and condomless anal and vaginal sex (CAVS) acts at 4 and 12 months; all models were adjusted for treatment arm, HIV serostatus, study site, and sociodemographics. RESULTS Gender-based stigma at baseline was directly associated with increased CAVS at 4 months [adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) = 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): (1.05 to 1.33)] and 12 months [aIRR = 1.17, 95% CI: (1.02 to 1.34)]. Gender-based stigma was also associated with higher psychological distress at 4 months [b = 0.70, 95% CI: (0.13 to 1.27)], which in turn was marginally associated with increased CAVS at 12 months [aIRR = 1.03, 95% CI: (1.00 to 1.06)]. Contrary to expectations, poor social support at 4 months was associated with decreased CAVS at 12 months [aIRR = 0.40, 95% CI: (0.28 to 0.59)]. CONCLUSIONS Future HIV prevention interventions with YTW should consider addressing experiences of gender-based stigma and the psychological distress that may ensue from gender-based stigma. More research is needed to understand the influence of poor social support on sexual behaviors in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo K Valente
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
- Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
| | - Katie B Biello
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
- Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
- The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA
| | - Alberto Edeza
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
- Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
| | - Lynne Klasko-Foster
- Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
| | - Lisa M Kuhns
- Division of Adolescent Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL
- Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Sari L Reisner
- The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; and
| | - Robert Garofalo
- Division of Adolescent Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL
- Department of Pediatrics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
| | - Matthew J Mimiaga
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
- Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI
- The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
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Networks Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Men Who Have Sex With Men in HIV Research in the United States: A Concept Analysis. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care 2020; 31:379-391. [PMID: 31985510 DOI: 10.1097/jnc.0000000000000160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In the past 10 years, research has proliferated investigating the effects of sexual and social networks on the transmission of HIV, especially among racial/ethnic minority men who have sex with men (MSM). This research, however, has been inconsistent in its application of social network theory leading to variations in the measurement of networks and a lack of clarity in the interpretation of results from studies of network data. Efforts to delineate how networks are defined, measured, and interpreted are needed to advance the science of HIV prevention and promote health equity. The aims of this article are to review the literature around networks among racial/ethnic minority MSM, use concept analysis methods to clarify the definition and scope of the concept of networks, and to develop a network typology that can be used to guide measurement and interpretation of networks for HIV research with racial/ethnic minority MSM.
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Bonett S, Meanley S, Stevens R, Brawner B, Bauermeister J. The Role of Networks in Racial Disparities in HIV Incidence Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States. AIDS Behav 2020; 24:2781-2796. [PMID: 31980994 PMCID: PMC7222153 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-020-02798-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Network factors have been proposed as potential drivers of racial disparities in HIV among Black and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM). This review aimed to synthesize the extant literature on networks and racial disparities in HIV among MSM and identify potential directions for future research. We searched databases for peer-reviewed articles published between January 1, 2008 and July 1, 2018. Articles were included if the sample was comprised primarily of racial/ethnic minority MSM and measured one or more network characteristics. (n = 25). HIV prevalence in networks, social support, and structural barriers were linked to disparities in HIV for Black MSM. Future research should focus on intervention development around social support and other strategies for risk reduction within networks. Given the contribution of structural factors to racial/ethnic HIV disparities, network-level interventions should be paired with policies that improve access to housing, jobs, and education for MSM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Bonett
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 418 Curie Blvd, Suite 222L, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Steven Meanley
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 418 Curie Blvd, Suite 222L, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Robin Stevens
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 418 Curie Blvd, Suite 222L, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Bridgette Brawner
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 418 Curie Blvd, Suite 222L, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - José Bauermeister
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 418 Curie Blvd, Suite 222L, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Mizuno Y, Borkowf CB, Hirshfield S, Mustanski B, Sullivan PS, MacGowan RJ. Age- and Race/Ethnicity-Specific Sex Partner Correlates of Condomless Sex in an Online Sample of Hispanic/Latino, Black/African-American, and White Men Who Have Sex with Men. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:1903-1914. [PMID: 31845149 PMCID: PMC7295651 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01534-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We sought to identify and compare correlates of condomless receptive anal intercourse with HIV-positive or unknown status partners (CRAI) for younger (< 25 years) and older (≥ 25 years) Hispanic/Latino, black/African-American, and white men who have sex with men (MSM). Baseline data from the Evaluation of Rapid HIV Self-Testing among MSM Project (eSTAMP), a randomized controlled trial with MSM (n = 2665, analytical sample size = 2421), were used. Potential correlates included participants' sociodemographic characteristics and HIV status as well as the characteristics of participants' partners. Younger Hispanic/Latino and black men were most likely to report having older sex partners (≥ 50% of partners being at least 5 years older), and having older partners was a significant correlate of CRAI among younger Hispanic/Latino and white men. Regardless of race/ethnicity, not knowing one's HIV status was a significant correlate of CRAI among younger men, whereas having a black sex partner was a significant correlate among older men. HIV prevention initiatives could address these and other correlates specific to race/ethnicity groups to target their prevention resources and messaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Mizuno
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE Mail Stop US8-5, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
| | - Craig B Borkowf
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE Mail Stop US8-5, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Sabina Hirshfield
- Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Brian Mustanski
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Robin J MacGowan
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE Mail Stop US8-5, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
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Satisfaction with Social Support Received from Social Relationships in Cases of Chronic Pain: The Influence of Personal Network Characteristics in Terms of Structure, Composition and Functional Content. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17082706. [PMID: 32326411 PMCID: PMC7215382 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17082706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The worldwide burden of chronic illnesses, constitutes a major public health concern and a serious challenge for health systems. In addition to the strategies of self-management support developed by nursing and health organizations, an individual’s personal network represents a major resource of social support in the long-term. Adopting a cross-sectional design based on personal network analysis methods, the main aim of this study is to explore the relationship between satisfaction with the social support received by individuals suffering chronic pain and the structure, composition, and functional content in social support of their personal networks. We collected personal and support network data from 30 people with chronic pain (20 person’s contacts (alters) for each individual (ego), 600 relationships in total). Additionally, we examined the level of satisfaction with social support in each of the 600 relationships. Bivariate and multivariate tests were performed to analyze the satisfaction with the social support received. Using cluster analysis, we established a typology of the 600 relationships under study. Results showed that higher satisfaction was associated with a balance between degree centrality and betweenness (i.e., measures of network cohesion and network modularity, respectively). Finally, new lines of research are proposed in order to broaden our understanding of this subject.
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Biello KB, Goedel WC, Edeza A, Safren SA, Mayer KH, Marshall BD, Latkin C, Mimiaga MJ. Network-Level Correlates of Sexual Risk Among Male Sex Workers in the United States: A Dyadic Analysis. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2020; 83:111-118. [PMID: 31929400 PMCID: PMC7262793 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000002230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Male sex workers (MSWs) are at increased risk of HIV infection in the United States. Research is limited on sexual and drug use network characteristics of MSWs. SETTING Community-based organization and health center in 2 US Northeast cities. METHODS One hundred MSWs completed a behavioral assessment and sexual and drug network inventory. Using dyadic analyses, we assessed whether network characteristics, including sex worker-male client age, race, and HIV status homophily and risk multiplexity (ie, overlap in drug-use and sex networks), were associated with condom use. RESULTS MSW participants' mean age was 33.6. Two-thirds identified as Black or Latino, 12% identified as heterosexual, and 90% reported recent drug use. Participants reported an average of 5.3 male clients in the past month (SD = 3.4), and having anal sex with 74% of these clients, at a rate of 2.2 times per month (SD = 4.6). Participants reported inconsistent condom use during anal sex with 53% of clients. In multivariable models, inconsistent condom use was more common in relationships with presumed HIV status homophily [odds ratio (OR): 1.25; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07 to 1.46] and sexual and drug network multiplexity (OR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.09 to 1.30); and less common within relationships where the client is older than the MSW participant (OR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.74 to 0.93). Number of multiplex relationships was positively associated with number of condomless anal sex acts with male clients (incidence rate ratio: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.19 to 1.54). CONCLUSIONS Network characteristics may contribute to disproportionate HIV risk among MSWs. Modeling studies should include network characteristics when simulating HIV transmission, and future HIV interventions should address the role of networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie B. Biello
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI
- Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA
| | - William C. Goedel
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Alberto Edeza
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Steven A. Safren
- Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida
| | - Kenneth H. Mayer
- Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
- Department of Global Health and Population, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Brandon D.L. Marshall
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Carl Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Matthew J. Mimiaga
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI
- Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA
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11
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Weiss KM, Goodreau SM, Morris M, Prasad P, Ramaraju R, Sanchez T, Jenness SM. Egocentric sexual networks of men who have sex with men in the United States: Results from the ARTnet study. Epidemics 2020; 30:100386. [PMID: 32004795 PMCID: PMC7089812 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2020.100386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we present an overview and descriptive results from one of the first egocentric network studies of men who have sex with men (MSM) from across the United States: the ARTnet study. ARTnet was designed to support prevention research for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that are transmitted across partnership networks. ARTnet implemented a population-based egocentric network study design that sampled egos from the target population and asked them to report on the number, attributes, and timing of their sexual partnerships. Such data provide the foundation needed for parameterizing stochastic network models that are used for disease projection and intervention planning. ARTnet collected data online from 2017 to 2019, with a final sample of 4904 participants who reported on 16198 sexual partnerships. The aims of this paper were to characterize the joint distribution of three network parameters needed for modeling: degree distributions, assortative mixing, and partnership age, with heterogeneity by partnership type (main, casual and one-time), demography, and geography. Participants had an average of 1.19 currently active partnerships ("mean degree"), which was higher for casual partnerships (0.74) than main partnerships (0.45). The mean rate of one-time partnership acquisition was 0.16 per week (8.5 partners per year). Main partnerships lasted 272.5 weeks on average, while casual partnerships lasted 133.0 weeks. There was strong but heterogenous assortative mixing by race/ethnicity for all groups. The mean absolute age difference for all partnership types was 9.5 years, with main partners differing by 6.3 years compared to 10.8 years for casual partners. Our analysis suggests that MSM may be at sustained risk for HIV/STI acquisition and transmission through high network degree of sexual partnerships. The ARTnet network study provides a robust and reproducible foundation for understanding the dynamics of HIV/STI epidemiology among U.S. MSM and supporting the implementation science that seeks to address persistent challenges in HIV/STI prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Weiss
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Steven M Goodreau
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Martina Morris
- Departments of Statistics and Sociology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Pragati Prasad
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Ramya Ramaraju
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Travis Sanchez
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| | - Samuel M Jenness
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
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12
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Arrington-Sanders R, Hailey-Fair K, Wirtz AL, Morgan A, Brooks D, Castillo M, Trexler C, Kwait J, Dowshen N, Galai N, Beyrer C, Celentano D. Role of Structural Marginalization, HIV Stigma, and Mistrust on HIV Prevention and Treatment Among Young Black Latinx Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women: Perspectives from Youth Service Providers. AIDS Patient Care STDS 2020; 34:7-15. [PMID: 31944853 DOI: 10.1089/apc.2019.0165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Young black and Latinx men who have sex with men (YBLMSM) and transgender women (YBLTW) are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Structural and social marginalization, the social barriers, and structures that unevenly distribute benefits and burdens to different groups, may contribute to inability for youth to access prevention and treatment care services. Yet, few reports have examined the community and health care experiences of social marginalization among youth service providers who have multiple roles in the community (i.e., serve as a service provider and are a member or prior member of the YBLMSM and YBLTW population). Eighteen key informants (KIs), defined as youth, young adults, or adults who were members of or connected to the YBLMSM and young black and Latinx transgender (YBLTG) community, participated in a one-time, face-to-face, or telephone key informant interview (KII) lasting ∼45 min. KIs were defined as youth service providers because they described working with the target population and either being a member of or closely connected to the target population. KIs described key themes related to marginalization: lack of competent care among health care providers and both clinical and community spaces that left out key populations. HIV stigma and medical mistrust continues to create a barrier to care in this population and for interventions to be effective interventions will need to use an intersectional approach that simultaneously address all identities, and the social and structural needs of youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Arrington-Sanders
- Division of General Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Kimberly Hailey-Fair
- Division of General Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Andrea L. Wirtz
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Anthony Morgan
- Division of General Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Durryle Brooks
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Marne Castillo
- The Adolescent Initiative, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Connie Trexler
- Adolescent Clinical Research, Burgess Clinic, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia
| | | | - Nadia Dowshen
- Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Noya Galai
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Chris Beyrer
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - David Celentano
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
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13
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Janulis P, Neray B, Birkett M, Phillips G, Mustanski B. No Evidence of Bias in Sexual Partnership Corroboration by Race and Ethnicity Among a Diverse Cohort of Young Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:267-274. [PMID: 31549363 PMCID: PMC7018603 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-1455-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Black men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to experience disproportionately high HIV incidence rates relative to their white peers. Yet, Black MSM do not report higher levels of sexual risk behavior, and contextual factors such as access to care and sexual networks only partially explain these disparities. However, risk misclassification could help explain this paradox, if measurement biases systematically underestimate sexual risk behavior among Black MSM relative to their peers. The current study examined variation in sexual partnership corroboration in the RADAR study, a large and diverse cohort of young MSM and transgender women. Network data were elicited regarding all sexual partners in the prior 6 months, including instances where participants reported other participants as sexual partners. Using these data, anal and condomless anal sex partners were separately examined using a series of exponential random graph models to estimate the rate of corroboration of sexual connections between participants and examine whether this parameter varied by race/ethnicity. For both types of behavior, providing separate estimates for corroboration across race/ethnicity groups reduced model fit and did not significantly vary across groups. Accordingly, we found no evidence of measurement bias by race/ethnicity in the current data. However, overall rates of corroboration (41.2-50.3%) were low, suggesting substantial levels of measurement error. Accordingly, it is vital that researchers continue to improve upon methods to measure risk behavior in order to maximize their validity. We discuss the implications of these findings, including potential alternative causes of risk misclassification (e.g., sampling bias) and future directions to reduce measurement error.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Janulis
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine and Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Balint Neray
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine and Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Michelle Birkett
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine and Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Gregory Phillips
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine and Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Brian Mustanski
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine and Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
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14
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Harling G, Tsai AC. Using Social Networks to Understand and Overcome Implementation Barriers in the Global HIV Response. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2019; 82 Suppl 3:S244-S252. [PMID: 31764260 PMCID: PMC6923140 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000002203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the development of several efficacious HIV prevention and treatment methods in the past 2 decades, HIV continues to spread globally. Uptake of interventions is nonrandomly distributed across populations. Such inequality is socially patterned and reinforced by homophily arising from both social selection (becoming friends with similar people) and influence (becoming similar to friends). METHODS We conducted a narrative review to describe how social network analysis methods-including egocentric, sociocentric, and respondent-driven sampling designs-provide tools to measure key populations, to understand how epidemics spread, and to evaluate intervention take-up. RESULTS Social network analysis-informed designs can improve intervention effectiveness by reaching otherwise inaccessible populations. They can also improve intervention efficiency by maximizing spillovers, through social ties, to at-risk but susceptible individuals. Social network analysis-informed designs thus have the potential to be both more effective and less unequal in their effects, compared with social network analysis-naïve approaches. Although social network analysis-informed designs are often resource-intensive, we believe they provide unique insights that can help reach those most in need of HIV prevention and treatment interventions. CONCLUSION Increased collection of social network data during both research and implementation work would provide important information to improve the roll-out of existing studies in the present and to inform the design of more data-efficient, social network analysis-informed interventions in the future. Doing so will improve the reach of interventions, especially to key populations, and to maximize intervention impact once delivered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy Harling
- Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Africa Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Department of Epidemiology and Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, United States
- MRC/Wits Rural Public Health & Health Transitions Research Unit (Agincourt), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Alexander C. Tsai
- Department of Epidemiology and Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge MA, United States
- Chester M. Pierce, MD Division of Global Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA United States
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
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15
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Abstract
Large disparities exist in HIV across racial and ethnic populations-with Black and Latino populations disproportionately affected. This study utilizes a large cohort of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) to examine how race and ethnicity drive sexual partner selection, and how those with intersecting identities (Latinos who identify as White or Black) differ from Latinos without a specific racial identification (Latinos who identify as "Other"). Data come from YMSM (N = 895) who reported on sexual partners (N = 3244). Sexual mixing patterns differed substantially by race and ethnicity. Latinos who self-identified as "Black" reported mainly Black partners, those who self-identified as "White" predominantly partnered with Whites, while those who self-identified as "Other" mainly partnered with Latinos. Results suggested that Black-Latino YMSM are an important population for prevention, as their HIV prevalence neared that of Black YMSM, and their patterns of sexual partnership suggested that they may bridge Black YMSM and Other-Latino YMSM populations.
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16
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Duncan DT, Hickson DA, Goedel WC, Callander D, Brooks B, Chen YT, Hanson H, Eavou R, Khanna AS, Chaix B, Regan SD, Wheeler DP, Mayer KH, Safren SA, Carr Melvin S, Draper C, Magee-Jackson V, Brewer R, Schneider JA. The Social Context of HIV Prevention and Care among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in Three U.S. Cities: The Neighborhoods and Networks (N2) Cohort Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16111922. [PMID: 31151275 PMCID: PMC6603520 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16111922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Background: In many parts of the world, stark racial disparities in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence, incidence, prevention, and care outcomes persist among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), with Black MSM significantly impacted in the United States (U.S.). Individual-level characteristics, including sexual behaviors and socioeconomic status, do not fully account for racial/ethnic disparities in HIV among MSM. We hypothesize that neighborhood contexts and network characteristics influence risk for HIV infection as well as HIV-related prevention and care behaviors. As such, the study design includes the use of real-time geospatial methods and in-depth assessments of multiple network typologies to investigate the impact of neighborhood and network-level factors on HIV prevention and treatment among Black MSM residing in longstanding priority HIV elimination areas in the U.S., namely Chicago, Illinois and in the Deep South (Jackson, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana) (n = 450, n = 50, and n = 100, respectively). We describe the design, sampling methods, data collection, data management methods, and preliminary findings of the ongoing ‘Neighborhoods and Networks (N2) Cohort Study’. Methods/Design: N2 employs a prospective longitudinal design. The sample includes Black MSM participants in Chicago recruited via respondent-driven sampling and assessed every six months over two years of follow-up. Participants enrolled in Jackson and New Orleans are being recruited through existing health and community services and assessed every six months over one year of follow-up. Mobility within and between neighborhoods is being assessed using global positioning system (GPS) technology. Social and sexual networks among Black MSM are being studied through egocentric network inventories as well as newer methods of creating meso-level networks that involve social media (Facebook) and mobile phone contacts. Key HIV prevention outcomes such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) care engagement, and HIV/STI (sexually transmitted infections) biomarkers will be examined at baseline and follow-up. Results: As of 31 December 2018, a total of 361 men were enrolled across all study sites: 259 in Chicago and 102 in the Deep South (75 in New Orleans and 27 in Jackson). At baseline, participants ranged in age from 17 to 65 years old (mean = 34.3, standard deviation = 5.1) with 123 men (34.1%) self-reported as HIV positive. While HIV treatment levels were similar between sites, men in the Deep South reported higher rates of adherence than men in Chicago (63.3% versus 49.4%, p = 0.03). Sexual risk profiles were mainly the same between men from different study sites, with 22.9% of men in Chicago and 28.9% in the Deep South reporting consistent condom use during vaginal and anal sex (p = 0.26). Regarding their home neighborhoods, men in the Deep South were more likely than those in Chicago to characterize theirs as having a good reputation (43.1% versus 24.7%, p < 0.001) and as being safe (37.3% versus 21.2%, p = 0.002). Conclusions: The focus on Black MSM in the N2 Study will allow for a nuanced exploration of the attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and practices of a diverse group of Black MSM. The study is also positioned to provide novel insight about neighborhood and network characteristics that influence HIV-related behaviors. A health equity framework ensures that Black MSM are not explicitly or implicitly deemed as deviant, disordered, or the non-reference group. Findings from N2 will provide guidance for the implementation of more impactful HIV prevention interventions that engage a diverse population of Black MSM as we work toward HIV elimination in the U.S.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin T Duncan
- NYU Spatial Epidemiology Lab, Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - DeMarc A Hickson
- Center for Research, Evaluation, and Environmental & Policy Change, My Brother's Keeper, Inc., Jackson, MS 39202, USA.
- Us Helping Us, People Into Living, Inc., Washington, DC 20010, USA.
| | - William C Goedel
- NYU Spatial Epidemiology Lab, Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Denton Callander
- NYU Spatial Epidemiology Lab, Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Brandon Brooks
- NYU Spatial Epidemiology Lab, Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | - Yen-Tyng Chen
- Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Hillary Hanson
- Survey Lab, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Rebecca Eavou
- Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Aditya S Khanna
- Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Basile Chaix
- Pierre-Louis Institute of Epidemiology Public Health (UMR-S 1136), Faculté de Médecine Saint-Antoine, Sorbonne Universités, 75012 Paris, France.
| | - Seann D Regan
- NYU Spatial Epidemiology Lab, Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | | | - Kenneth H Mayer
- The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Steven A Safren
- The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA.
| | - Sandra Carr Melvin
- Center for Research, Evaluation, and Environmental & Policy Change, My Brother's Keeper, Inc., Jackson, MS 39202, USA.
| | - Cordarian Draper
- Center for Research, Evaluation, and Environmental & Policy Change, My Brother's Keeper, Inc., Jackson, MS 39202, USA.
| | | | - Russell Brewer
- Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - John A Schneider
- Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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17
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Strong C, Yu YF, Zou H, Ku WW, Lee CW, Ko NY. Sexual network and detection of anogenital human papillomavirus in a community cohort of men who have sex with men in Taiwan. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216784. [PMID: 31075133 PMCID: PMC6510428 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We examined the association between anogenital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and sexual networks in men who have sex with men (MSM). METHODS A total of 253 MSM, 20 years of age and older, were recruited from the community in Southern Taiwan in 2015-2016. At baseline and at each follow-up visit, MSM were screened for HPV to identify 37 HPV genotypes. At the six-month follow-up, MSM were asked to fill out an egocentric network assessment and to report the last five persons with whom they had sex regarding the characteristics of sexual behavior with each network member. RESULTS A total of 182 participants (71.9%) returned for the follow-up and one third had at least one HPV type detected. A higher level of bridging network position calculated by the level of constraints in the network was significantly less likely to have HPV detection at the anal site. A high level of concurrency was associated with penile HPV detection (AOR = 3.16, 95% CI = 1.01-9.86). CONCLUSIONS Identifying network-related characteristics can advance our understanding of high-risk populations and for prioritizing HPV vaccine recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Strong
- Department of Public Health, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- * E-mail:
| | - Yi-Fang Yu
- Department of Public Health, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Huachun Zou
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
- School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Wen-Wei Ku
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Wen Lee
- Fengshan Lee Chia Wen Urologic Clinic, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Nai-Ying Ko
- Department of Public Health, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Department of Nursing, National Cheng Kung University and Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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18
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Blair C, Passaro RC, Segura ER, Lake JE, Perez-Brumer AG, Sanchez J, Lama JR, Clark JL. Sexual network characteristics of men who have sex with men with syphilis and/or gonorrhoea/chlamydia in Lima, Peru: network patterns as roadmaps for STI prevention interventions. Sex Transm Infect 2019; 95:336-341. [PMID: 31010954 DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2018-053865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE While men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by Peru's overlapping HIV and STI epidemics, there are few data on how partnership-level and network-level factors affect STI transmission in Peru. We explored partnership-level and network-level factors associated with gonorrhoea/chlamydia (Neisseria gonorrhoeae and/or Chlamydia trachomatis (NG/CT)) and/or syphilis infection among MSM in Peru. METHODS We present the results of a cross-sectional secondary analysis of MSM (n=898) tested for syphilis and NG/CT infection as part of the screening process for two STI control trials in Lima, Peru. Participants completed questionnaires on demographics, sexual identity and role, characteristics of their three most recent sexual partners (partner sexual orientation, gender, role, partnership type, partner-specific sexual acts) and 30-day sexual network characteristics (number of sexual partners, partnership types, frequency of anal/vaginal intercourse). Participants were tested for syphilis and urethral, rectal and oropharyngeal NG/CT. Differences in network characteristics were analysed with χ2 and Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS Approximately 38.9% of participants had a new STI diagnosis (syphilis (rapid plasma reagin ≥16): 10.6%; NG/CT: 22.9%; syphilis-NG/CT coinfection: 5.4%). Condomless anal intercourse (CAI) was not significantly associated with an STI diagnosis. Gay-identified participants with exclusively homosexual networks had a higher prevalence of STIs (47.4%) than gay-identified MSM with only heterosexual/bisexual partners (34.6%, p=0.04), despite reporting fewer sexual partners (any partners: 2, 1-4 vs 3, 2-6; p=0.001; casual partners: 1, 0-3 vs 2, 1-4; p=0.001) and more stable partnerships (1, 0-1 vs 0, 0-1; p=0.003) in the last month. CONCLUSIONS Network size and the number of casual sexual partners were associated with NG/CT infection among MSM in Peru. Despite reporting fewer sexual risk behaviours (smaller network size, more stable partnerships, less CAI), MSM with homosexual-only sexual networks had a higher prevalence of NG/CT and syphilis. These findings suggest network composition among MSM in Peru plays an important role in the risk for STI acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherie Blair
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ryan Colby Passaro
- College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Eddy R Segura
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Escuela de Medicina, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
| | - Jordan E Lake
- Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Jorge Sanchez
- Centro de Investigaciones Tecnológicas, Biomédicas y Medioambientales, Callao, Peru
| | - Javier R Lama
- Asociacion Civil Impacta Salud y Educacion, Lima, Peru
| | - Jesse L Clark
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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19
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Imahashi M, Fujimoto K, Kuhns LM, Amith M, Schneider JA. Network overlap and knowledge of a partner's HIV status among young men who have sex with men. AIDS Care 2019; 31:1533-1539. [PMID: 30935221 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2019.1601672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
For individuals living with HIV, disclosure of HIV status to their partners can be a source of psychological and emotional stress. Minimal information about serostatus disclosure is available for young men who have sex with men (YMSM). This study examined the disclosure of HIV status to social and sexual partners among YMSM using social and sexual network data. Respondent-driven sampling was used to collect data from YMSM aged 16-29 in Houston, Texas and Chicago, Illinois. Social network data from 746 respondents and 2035 social and/or sexual partners were collected from 2014 to 2016, of whom 27.9% were HIV seropositive, with 9.4% of their partners being both sexually and socially connected to respondents (overlapping network status), and 90.6% either sexually or socially connected. Generalized estimating equation analysis was conducted based on respondents' knowledge of their sexual partners' HIV status. Results showed that respondents with overlapping sexual and social relationships with their partners were less likely to not know their partners' HIV status (AOR = 0.26 95% CI: 0.18-0.40). Results highlight the association between overlapping partnership and knowledge of partner's HIV status among YMSM. These findings are useful when selecting potential network members to disclose HIV status and support YMSM's health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayumi Imahashi
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas, Health Science Center at Houston , Houston , TX , USA.,National Hospital Organization, Nagoya Medical Center , Nagoya , Aichi , Japan
| | - Kayo Fujimoto
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas, Health Science Center at Houston , Houston , TX , USA
| | - Lisa M Kuhns
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine , Chicago , IL , USA
| | - Muhammad Amith
- School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , Houston , TX , USA
| | - John A Schneider
- The Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, University of Chicago , Chicago , IL , USA
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20
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Sexual Networks of Racially Diverse Young MSM Differ in Racial Homophily But Not Concurrency. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2019; 77:459-466. [PMID: 29280767 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000001620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substantial racial disparities exist in HIV infection among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). However, evidence suggests black YMSM do not engage in greater levels of risk behavior. Sexual networks may help explain this paradox. This study used egocentric exponential random graph models to examine variation in concurrency (ie, 2 or more simultaneous partners) and homophily (ie, same race/ethnicity partners) across race/ethnicity groups in a diverse sample of YMSM. METHODS Data for this study come from a longitudinal cohort study of YMSM. Participants (n = 1012) provided data regarding their sexual contacts during the 6 months before their first study visit. A series of egocentric exponential random graph models examined how providing separate estimates for homophily and concurrency parameters across race/ethnicity improved the fit of these models. Networks were simulated using these parameters to examine how local network characteristics impact risk at the whole network level. RESULTS Results indicated that homophily, but not concurrency, varied across race/ethnicity. Black participants witnessed significantly higher race/ethnicity homophily compared with white and Latino peers. Extrapolating from these models, black individuals were more likely to be in a connected component with an HIV-positive individual and closer to HIV-positive individuals. However, white individuals were more likely to be in large connected components. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that high racial homophily combined with existing disparities in HIV help perpetuate the spread of HIV among black YMSM. Nonetheless, additional work is required to understand these disparities given that homophily alone cannot sustain them indefinitely.
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An Investigation of Racial and Ethnic Homophily on Grindr Among an Ongoing Cohort Study of YMSM. AIDS Behav 2019; 23:302-311. [PMID: 30141150 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-018-2262-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Men who have sex with men (MSM), and especially MSM of color, are disproportionately affected by HIV. Previous research shows that MSM have high levels of racial/ethnic homophily (the tendency for people to have sex with others who share the same racial/ethnic identification) in sexual dyads, which may help explain HIV disparities. This study fills a gap in previous research by grounding network data from a cohort study of young MSM in Chicago (RADAR) in the contexts of virtual spaces (VSs) and examining differences in levels of racial/ethnic homophily using multilevel-logistic-regression models. Results show that Grindr differs from other VSs in proportions of racially/ethnically homophilous dyads and by partner racial/ethnic identification. After controlling for general homophily trends, sex partnerships formed on Grindr by Black MSM were significantly less likely to be homophilous than those of White MSM. While racial/ethnic groups differ in likelihood to form homophilous partnerships, this trend varies by VS.
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22
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Cortopassi AC, Driver R, Eaton LA, Kalichman SC. A New Era of HIV Risk: It's Not What You Know, It's Who You Know (and How Infectious). Annu Rev Psychol 2018; 70:673-701. [PMID: 30256719 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
HIV is transmitted in social and sexual relationships, and HIV transmission risks, as well as protective actions, are evolving as HIV epidemics unfold. The current focus of HIV prevention is centered on antiretroviral medications used to reduce HIV infectiousness in persons already infected with HIV [treatment as prevention (TasP)]. The same medications used to treat infected persons can also be used by uninfected persons as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the infectivity of HIV. Both PrEP and TasP are effective when adherence is high and individuals do not have co-occurring sexually transmitted infections. HIV prevention is most effective and efficient when delivered within sexual networks with high HIV prevalence. Specific network characteristics are recognized as important facilitators of HIV transmission; these characteristics include the degree of similarity among network members (homophily), gender role norms, and belief systems. Since 2011, HIV risk has been redefined based on infectiousness and infectivity, ushering in a new era of HIV prevention with the potential to end HIV epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Cortopassi
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA;
| | - Redd Driver
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA;
| | - Lisa A Eaton
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
| | - Seth C Kalichman
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA;
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23
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Grosso AL, Downing MJ, Thomann M, Chiasson MA, Schrimshaw EW, Hirshfield S. Age of Onset of Alcohol Consumption and Subsequent Negative Health Outcomes in Gay and Bisexual Men Who Have Sex With Men. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2018; 66:1609-1625. [PMID: 30118650 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2018.1505757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The correlation between current alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) is well documented, but little is known about age of drinking onset and current risks among this population. Data from a 2008 Internet survey of 8,452 MSM in the United States were used to assess factors associated with age of onset of alcohol use. In a multivariable model, drinking onset before age 15 was significantly associated with a higher number of lifetime male anal sex partners and being behaviorally bisexual in the past 12 months. Men who reported depressive symptoms in the past two weeks or who screened positive for alcohol abuse in the past 60 days were more likely to have early age of drinking onset. Findings suggest the need for targeting younger adolescents for alcohol screening, particularly sexual minority youth, to prevent risk behaviors in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L Grosso
- a Research and Evaluation Unit, Public Health Solutions , New York , New York , USA
| | - Martin J Downing
- a Research and Evaluation Unit, Public Health Solutions , New York , New York , USA
| | - Matthew Thomann
- b Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University , New York , New York , USA
| | - Mary Ann Chiasson
- a Research and Evaluation Unit, Public Health Solutions , New York , New York , USA
- b Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University , New York , New York , USA
| | - Eric W Schrimshaw
- c Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University , New York , New York , USA
| | - Sabina Hirshfield
- a Research and Evaluation Unit, Public Health Solutions , New York , New York , USA
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24
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Janulis P, Feinstein BA, Phillips G, Newcomb ME, Birkett M, Mustanski B. Sexual Partner Typologies and the Association Between Drug Use and Sexual Risk Behavior Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2018; 47:259-271. [PMID: 28194606 PMCID: PMC5554732 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-016-0909-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Numerous partner and relationship characteristics are associated with sexual risk behavior among young men who have sex with men (YMSM), including being in a serious relationship and having older partners. However, most research in this area is limited by its reliance on variable-centered approaches. Using multilevel latent class analysis, this study identified subgroups of sexual partner types with a particular emphasis on examining whether partner type moderated the association between drug use and condomless anal sex (CAS). Data were utilized from an ongoing cohort study of YMSM (ages 16-29) recruited from previous studies as well as peers and serious partners of existing cohort members. A total of 469 participants reported on 1596 sexual partners in the past 6 months. We identified four distinct sexual partner typologies, which we refer to as: casual, older-online, much older, and serious. Results indicated that rates of CAS were highest for older-online and serious partners. Additionally, there was a positive association between drug use and CAS among a predominantly marijuana using sample, but only for serious partners. While previous research has found that CAS is highest in serious relationships, findings suggest that there may be another type of partnership in which CAS is likely to occur (older partners met online). If confirmed, these results suggest interventions focused on the intersection of marijuana use and CAS may be particularly important among YMSM with serious partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Janulis
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Brian A Feinstein
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Gregory Phillips
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Michael E Newcomb
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Michelle Birkett
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Brian Mustanski
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
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25
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Dyer TV, Khan MR, Sandoval M, Acheampong A, Regan R, Bolyard M, Mateu-Gelabert P, Friedman SR. Drug Use and Sexual HIV Transmission Risk Among Men Who have Sex with Men and Women (MSMW), Men Who have Sex with Men only (MSMO), and Men Who have Sex with Women Only (MSWO) and the Female Partners of MSMW and MSWO: A Network Perspective. AIDS Behav 2017; 21:3590-3598. [PMID: 28229245 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-017-1736-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We described drug use, sex risk, and STI/HIV among men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) and their female partners. We used the Network, Norms and HIV/STI Risk among Youth (NNAHRAY) study to evaluate drug use, sex risk, and biologically-confirmed STI/HIV in (1) MSMW and men who had sex with men only (MSMO) versus men who had sex with women only (MSWO) and (2) female partners of MSMW versus female partners of MSWO (N = 182 men, 152 women). MSMW versus MSWO had 30 to 60% increased odds of substance use, over twice the odds of multiple partnerships, and almost five times the odds of sex trade and HIV infection. Female partners of MSMW versus female partners of MSWO had approximately twice the odds of substance use and 1.5-2 times the odds of multiple partnerships and sex trade. Interventions should address STI/HIV risk among MSMW and their female partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Typhanye V Dyer
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Maryland, 2234FF School of Public Health, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
| | - Maria R Khan
- Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Milagros Sandoval
- National Development and Research Institutes Inc., New York, NY, USA
| | - Abenaa Acheampong
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Rotrease Regan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Melissa Bolyard
- Office of Institutional Research, Planning and Effectiveness, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Samuel R Friedman
- National Development and Research Institutes Inc., New York, NY, USA
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26
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Phillips G, Janulis P, Mustanski B, Birkett M. Validation of tie corroboration and reported alter characteristics among a sample of young men who have sex with men. SOCIAL NETWORKS 2017; 48:250-255. [PMID: 28503021 PMCID: PMC5423666 DOI: 10.1016/j.socnet.2016.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The differences between direct ties (i.e., ties between a respondent and their nominees) and ties between nominees (indirect) are key to understanding network structure, yet remain understudied. Within a sample of 175 young men who have sex with men, we explored the corroboration of sex and drug ties, and factors associated with corroboration. The majority of instances in which there was no corroboration for either sex or drug ties was due to one individual not appearing in another respondent's network. When an individual did appear in another respondent's network, direct sex and drug ties were corroborated in most cases. We also found that more indirect sex ties were corroborated than direct sex ties (95.7% vs. 88.9%), but the reverse was true for indirect versus direct drug ties (73.1% vs. 84.1%). Strength of relationship and frequency of communication were both associated with confirmed direct ties, but not with indirect ties. Based on these findings, we recommend that direct and indirect ties be treated differently in network analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Phillips
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Medical Social Sciences, 625 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Patrick Janulis
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Medical Social Sciences, 625 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Brian Mustanski
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Medical Social Sciences, 625 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Michelle Birkett
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Medical Social Sciences, 625 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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27
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Hogan B, Melville JR, Philips GL, Janulis P, Contractor N, Mustanski BS, Birkett M. Evaluating the Paper-to-Screen Translation of Participant-Aided Sociograms with High-Risk Participants. PROCEEDINGS OF THE SIGCHI CONFERENCE ON HUMAN FACTORS IN COMPUTING SYSTEMS. CHI CONFERENCE 2016; 2016:5360-5371. [PMID: 28018995 DOI: 10.1145/2858036.2858368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
While much social network data exists online, key network metrics for high-risk populations must still be captured through self-report. This practice has suffered from numerous limitations in workflow and response burden. However, advances in technology, network drawing libraries and databases are making interactive network drawing increasingly feasible. We describe the translation of an analog-based technique for capturing personal networks into a digital framework termed netCanvas that addresses many existing shortcomings such as: 1) complex data entry; 2) extensive interviewer intervention and field setup; 3) difficulties in data reuse; and 4) a lack of dynamic visualizations. We test this implementation within a health behavior study of a high-risk and difficult-to-reach population. We provide a within-subjects comparison between paper and touchscreens. We assert that touchscreen-based social network capture is now a viable alternative for highly sensitive data and social network data entry tasks.
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28
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Janulis P, Birkett M, Phillips G, Mustanski B. Substance use network characteristics and drug and alcohol use behaviors among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Drug Alcohol Depend 2015; 157:188-91. [PMID: 26483355 PMCID: PMC4663132 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Revised: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) use alcohol and other drugs at rates higher than their heterosexual peers. While social networks of YMSM have been acknowledged as an important contextual influence on their health behavior, studies have largely focused on social and sexual networks rather than substance use networks, despite the potential importance of substance use alters in shaping substance use behavior. METHOD Using data collected from a diverse sample of YMSM (n=156), two multilevel models examined the associations between network (e.g., degree and transitivity), dyadic (e.g., strength of relationship), and individual characteristics and two alter level dependent variables: recent drug use (versus no recent drug use) and frequency of substance use. RESULTS Results indicated that transitivity was associated with both recent drug use (OR=1.21, p=0.012) and more frequent substance use (b=0.08, p=0.002). Degree was not significantly associated with either variable. Furthermore, participants were also less likely to have recently used drugs (OR=0.93, p<0.001) and tended to use substances less frequently (b=-0.01, p=0.028) with older alters. CONCLUSIONS Despite substantial interest in network influences on health, much remains unknown about the impact of network structures on substance use. The current findings suggest that structural characteristics of substance use networks may provide important information regarding the drug and alcohol use behavior of YMSM even when controlling for dyadic and individual characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Janulis
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 625N Michigan Ave, Suite 2700, Chicago, IL 60611, United States.
| | - Michelle Birkett
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 625N Michigan Ave, Suite 2700, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Gregory Phillips
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 625N Michigan Ave, Suite 2700, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Brian Mustanski
- Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 625N Michigan Ave, Suite 2700, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
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29
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Kuhns LM, Birkett M, Muth SQ, Latkin C, Ortiz-Estes I, Garofalo R, Mustanski B. Methods for Collection of Participant-aided Sociograms for the Study of Social, Sexual and Substance-using Networks Among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men. CONNECTIONS (TORONTO, ONT.) 2015; 35:1. [PMID: 26236065 PMCID: PMC4521636 DOI: 10.17266/35.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we adapted and tested a participant-aided sociogram approach for the study of the social, sexual, and substance use networks of young men who have sex with men (YMSM); a population of increasing and disproportionate risk of HIV infection. We used a combination of two interviewer-administered procedures: completion of a pre-numbered list form to enumerate alters and to capture alter attributes; and a participant-aided sociogram to capture respondent report of interactions between alters on an erasable whiteboard. We followed the collection of alter interactions via the sociogram with a traditional matrix-based tie elicitation approach for a sub-sample of respondents for comparison purposes. Digital photographs of each network drawn on the whiteboard serve as the raw data for entry into a database in which group interactions are stored. Visual feedback of the network was created at the point of data entry, using NetDraw network visualization software for comparison to the network structure elicited via the sociogram. In a sample of 175 YMSM, we found this approach to be feasible and reliable, with high rates of participation among those eligible for the study and substantial agreement between the participant-aided sociogram in comparison to a traditional matrix-based approach. We believe that key strengths of this approach are the engagement and maintenance of participant attention and reduction of participant burden for alter tie elicitation. A key weakness is the challenge of entry of interview-based list form and sociogram data into the database. Our experience suggests that this approach to data collection is feasible and particularly appropriate for an adolescent and young adult population. This builds on and advances visualization-based approaches to social network data collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- L M Kuhns
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Chicago, IL. USA ; Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chicago, IL. USA
| | - M Birkett
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Medical Social Sciences, Chicago, IL USA
| | - S Q Muth
- Quintus-ential Solutions, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
| | - C Latkin
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - I Ortiz-Estes
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Chicago, IL. USA
| | - R Garofalo
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Chicago, IL. USA ; Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chicago, IL. USA
| | - B Mustanski
- Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Medical Social Sciences, Chicago, IL USA
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