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AIDS and Behavior
Published in: AIDS and Behavior 5/2019

01-05-2019 | Human Immunodeficiency Virus | Original Paper

Network Properties Among Gay, Bisexual and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men Vary by Race

Authors: Meagan Zarwell, William T. Robinson

Published in: AIDS and Behavior | Issue 5/2019

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Abstract

The HIV burden among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) may be related to variations in network characteristics of the individual’s social and sexual network. This study investigates variations in network properties among 188 Black and 295 White GBM recruited in New Orleans during the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance in 2014. Participants described up to five people who provided social support and five sex partners in the past 3 months. Network properties and network dissimilarity indicators were aggregated to the participant level as means or proportions and examined using PROC GLM. White participants reported larger networks (p = 0.0027), had known network members longer (p = 0.0033), and reported more substance use (p < 0.0001) within networks. Black participants reported networks with fewer men (p = 0.0056) and younger members (p = 0.0110) than those of White GBM. Network properties among GBM differ by race in New Orleans which may inform prevention interventions.
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Metadata
Title
Network Properties Among Gay, Bisexual and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men Vary by Race
Authors
Meagan Zarwell
William T. Robinson
Publication date
01-05-2019
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
AIDS and Behavior / Issue 5/2019
Print ISSN: 1090-7165
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3254
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-019-02416-9

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