The overall purpose of this competitive revision application is to expand our knowledge of the socio-sexual networks of young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Basic research on these networks, and the degree of their overlap, will increase our understanding of network processes related to a cluster of health issues disproportionally experienced by YMSM. This group has an alarming HIV/AIDS prevalence, and is one of the only risk groups showing an increasing rate of infections. This epidemic of HIV among YMSM does not exist in a vacuum;YMSM experience multiple health disparities, including elevated rates of illicit drug use, exposure to violence, and mental health problems, know as a syndemic, which is associated with HIV risk. Under the parent award on which the revision application is based, we have begun to gather of sample of 450 YMSM, ages 16-20, using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to investigate this syndemic of psychosocial health issues linked to HIV and characterizing multiple trajectories of syndemic development across 2 years. The two overarching goals of the parent study are to: 1) to provide much-needed epidemiological data on the prevalence of HIV and related health issues in order to inform public health priorities;and 2) to collect vital information on individual-level risk and protective factors to inform the development of an intervention targeting this vulnerable population. In keeping with the goals of NOT-OD-10-033, """"""""NIH Announces the Availability of Recovery Act Funds for Competitive Revision Applications (R01, R03, R15, R21, R21/R33 and R37) for AIDS- related Research through the NIH Basic Behavioral and Social Science Opportunity Network (OppNet),"""""""" we intend to conduct research that advances our basic understanding of social systems of relevance to HIV risk and prevention. Network-based research is a priority area of HIV-related investigation, however very little is known about the basic structure and characteristics of these networks or their influence on HIV-related risk and other clustering health issues in YMSM. Social support theory and the growing literature on sexual network epidemiology guide our two aims: 1) to identify and describe the socio-sexual network structure of YMSM;2) to establish the comparative value of social and sexual network methods, versus traditional individual-level measures, in predicting individual syndemic outcomes. Our network-based study reflects basic behavioral and social sciences approaches to understanding socio-sexual network processes, and will inform the field about the comparative value of this more resource-intensive methodology. Novel features of this study include assessment of three types of network structure (social, sexual, substance using) integrated into the parent study, which includes longitudinal assessment of psychological and HIV/STD biomarker outcomes and processes. Findings will be used to guide future prevention and intervention efforts by identifying network factors and processes that influence risk from mid/late adolescence through emerging adulthood to reduce extremely high rates of HIV infection in this population.

Public Health Relevance

Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) have an alarming HIV/AIDS prevalence, and are one of the only risk groups showing an increasing rate of infections in recent years. The overall purpose of this competitive revision application is to expand our knowledge of the social and sexual networks of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) to advance our basic understanding of social systems of relevance to HIV risk and prevention.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01DA025548-02S1
Application #
8053647
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-AARR-G (85))
Program Officer
Schulden, Jeffrey D
Project Start
2008-07-01
Project End
2011-01-31
Budget Start
2010-09-30
Budget End
2011-01-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2010
Total Cost
$216,674
Indirect Cost
Name
Children's Memorial Hospital (Chicago)
Department
Type
DUNS #
074438755
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60611
Salamanca, Paul; Janulis, Patrick; Elliott, Mich et al. (2018) An Investigation of Racial and Ethnic Homophily on Grindr Among an Ongoing Cohort Study of YMSM. AIDS Behav :
Phillips 2nd, Gregory; Birkett, Michelle; Salamanca, Paul et al. (2018) Interplay of Race and Criminal Justice Involvement on Sexual Behaviors of Young Men Who Have Sex With Men. J Adolesc Health 63:197-204
Puckett, Jae A; Feinstein, Brian A; Newcomb, Michael E et al. (2018) Trajectories of Internalized Heterosexism among Young Men Who have Sex with Men. J Youth Adolesc 47:872-889
Mustanski, Brian; Swann, Gregory; Newcomb, Michael E et al. (2017) Effects of Parental Monitoring and Knowledge on Substance Use and HIV Risk Behaviors Among Young Men Who have Sex with Men: Results from Three Studies. AIDS Behav 21:2046-2058
Puckett, Jae A; Newcomb, Michael E; Ryan, Daniel T et al. (2017) Internalized Homophobia and Perceived Stigma: A Validation Study of Stigma Measures in a Sample of Young Men who Have Sex with Men. Sex Res Social Policy 14:1-16
Swann, Gregory; Bettin, Emily; Clifford, Antonia et al. (2017) Trajectories of alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drug use in a diverse sample of young men who have sex with men. Drug Alcohol Depend 178:231-242
Macapagal, Kathryn; Birkett, Michelle; Janulis, Patrick et al. (2017) HIV Prevention Fatigue and HIV Treatment Optimism Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men. AIDS Educ Prev 29:289-301
Bry, Laura Jane; Mustanski, Brian; Garofalo, Robert et al. (2017) Management of a Concealable Stigmatized Identity: A Qualitative Study of Concealment, Disclosure, and Role Flexing Among Young, Resilient Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals. J Homosex 64:745-769
Mustanski, Brian; Phillips 2nd, Gregory; Ryan, Daniel T et al. (2017) Prospective Effects of a Syndemic on HIV and STI Incidence and Risk Behaviors in a Cohort of Young Men Who Have Sex with Men. AIDS Behav 21:845-857
Phillips 2nd, Gregory; Janulis, Patrick; Mustanski, Brian et al. (2017) Validation of tie corroboration and reported alter characteristics among a sample of young men who have sex with men. Soc Networks 48:250-255

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