The purpose of this four-year study, Community-Based Research on Drug Use Networks is to investigate the drug use and sexual networks of chronic out of treatment drug users and the relationship between drug-use and sexual network structures and HIV infection and sexually transmitted diseases. The study is based upon the social network assumption that how groups of people interact is related to the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore it is assumed that how network structures change over time will be related to varying rates of transmission among groups of people. The study will be conducted using a longitudinal panel design. The sample of networks to be investigated will be drawn from a pool of chronic out of treatment drug users residing in three targeted communities in Houston Texas. The study will recruit the drug use and sexual networks of 125 focal respondents selected to participate in the study. Outreach workers will assist focal respondents in recruiting their drug use and sexual contacts to participate. All drug use and sexual contacts during the precious 30 days will be recruited. Data will be collected from participants at intake and 12 months after intake. Approximately 600 respondents are anticipated in each wave of the study. Self-report and biological data will be collected. Data will be analyzed using a variety of statistical methodologies. At minimum the proposed research project will address the following research questions: 1. What are the different types of drug use and sexual network structures of chronic, out-of-treatment drug users? 2. Which network roles or positions can be identified in drug use and sexual networks? 3. How are these roles or positions related to the transmission of HIV or syphilis within and between such networks? 4. How do network structures and roles differ by demographic, relationship, behavioral, and disease variables-particularly HIV and syphilis incidence? 5. How do network structures and roles differ by gender and ethnic group? 6. How do network structures and roles change over time? How are these changes related to HIV risk?
Bell, David C; Belli-McQueen, Benedetta; Haider, Ali (2007) Partner Naming and Forgetting: Recall of Network Members. Soc Networks 29:279-299 |
Bell, David C; Atkinson, John S; Mosier, Victoria et al. (2007) The HIV transmission gradient: relationship patterns of protection. AIDS Behav 11:789-811 |
Montoya, Isaac D; Bell, David C (2006) Perceiver and relationship effects on perceptions of HIV status: A naturalistic study in a high drug use sample. Health Psychol 25:771-7 |
Bell, David C; Mosier, Victoria; Patek, Janeene A et al. (2005) Health care among insured drug users and nonusers. Subst Use Misuse 40:743-60 |
Bell, David C; Evans, Susan (2003) Health, social support and satisfaction with health outcome. J Psychoactive Drugs 35:479-85 |
Bell, David C; Mosier, Victoria; Atkinson, John S (2003) Protecting oneself from human immunodeficiency virus: are prevention messages being heard? Clin Infect Dis 37 Suppl 5:S433-8 |
Bell, David C; Trevino, Roberto A; Atkinson, John S et al. (2003) Motivations for condom use and nonuse. Clin Lab Sci 16:20-33 |
Bell, David C; Montoya, Isaac D; Atkinson, John S et al. (2002) Social networks and forecasting the spread of HIV infection. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 31:218-29 |
Trevino, Roberto A; Richard, Alan J (2002) Attitudes towards drug legalization among drug users. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 28:91-108 |
Lee, D; Bell, D C; Hinojosa, M (2002) Drug use, travel and HIV risk. AIDS Care 14:443-53 |
Showing the most recent 10 out of 21 publications