Social Networks, Sexual Networks and HIV Risk in Men Who Have Sex with Men

Worldwide, men who have sex with men (MSM) remain one of the most HIV-vulnerable community populations. A global public health priority is developing new methods of reaching MSM, understanding HIV transmission patterns, and intervening to reduce their risk. Increased attention is being given to the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current HIV/AIDS reports 2014-03, Vol.11 (1), p.81-92
Main Author: Amirkhanian, Yuri A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude to Health
Disease transmission
Epidemiology
HIV
HIV Infections - psychology
HIV Infections - transmission
Homosexuality, Male
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Male
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Public health
Risk-Taking
Section Editor
Social Behavior
Social interactions
Social networks
Social organization
Social Support
The Science of Prevention (SC Kalichman
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Summary:Worldwide, men who have sex with men (MSM) remain one of the most HIV-vulnerable community populations. A global public health priority is developing new methods of reaching MSM, understanding HIV transmission patterns, and intervening to reduce their risk. Increased attention is being given to the role that MSM networks play in HIV epidemiology. This review of MSM network research studies demonstrates that: (1) Members of the same social network often share similar norms, attitudes, and HIV risk behavior levels; (2) Network interventions are feasible and powerful for reducing unprotected sex and potentially for increasing HIV testing uptake; (3) HIV vulnerability among African American MSM increases when an individual enters a high-risk sexual network characterized by high density and racial homogeneity; and (4) Networks are primary sources of social support for MSM, particularly for those living with HIV, with greater support predicting higher care uptake and adherence.
ISSN:1548-3568
1548-3576
DOI:10.1007/s11904-013-0194-4