Sexual Behavior and Network Characteristics and Their Association with Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States
Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Black men who have sex with men (MSM) have a high prevalence of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and individual risk behavior does not fully explain the higher prevalence when compared with other MSM. Using the social-ecological framework, we evaluated individual, social and sexual network, and structural factors and their association with prevalent STIs among Black MSM. METHODS: The HIV Prevention Trials Network 061 was a multi-site cohort study designed to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a multi-component intervention for Black MSM in six US cities. Baseline assessments included demographics, risk behavior, and social and sexual network questions collected information about the size, nature and connectedness of their sexual network. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of having any prevalent sexually transmitted infection (gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis). RESULTS: A total of 1,553 Black MSM were enrolled in this study. In multivariate analysis, older age (aOR = 0.57; 95% CI 0.49-0.66, p<0.001) was associated with a lower odds of having a prevalent STI. Compared with reporting one male sexual partner, having 2-3 partners (aOR = 1.74; 95% CI 1.08-2.81, p<0.024) or more than 4 partners (aOR = 2.29; 95% CI 1.43-3.66, p<0.001) was associated with prevalent STIs. Having both Black and non-Black sexual partners (aOR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.45-0.99, p = 0.042) was the only sexual network factor associated with prevalent STIs. CONCLUSIONS: Age and the number and racial composition of sexual partners were associated with prevalent STIs among Black MSM, while other sexual network factors were not. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of the individual, network, and structural factors on prevalent STIs among Black MSM to inform combination interventions to reduce STIs among these men.
Source: PLoS ONE
Institutions: San Francisco Department of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Binghamton University, University of Johannesburg, New York Blood Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, George Washington University, Emory University, Columbia University, University of California, San Francisco
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,382
Funders: Emory University, George Washington University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, FHI 360, Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance, National Institutes of Health, University of California, Los Angeles, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Awards: The District of Columbia Developmental Center for AIDS Research (DC D-CFAR), G1123516740, Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (UL1), Emory HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Unit, G1715789334, G1805005405, G1913134163, Clinical Trial Unit for HIV Prevention and Microbicide Research, G2239871464, G2672118316, G2674375323, Centers for Innovative Research to Control AIDS, G2979747982, G3230377489, G345173699, G3495999278, UCLA AIDS Prevention and Treatment Clinical Trials Unit, G4166928756, G425202921, San Francisco Vaccine and Prevention Unit, G5768112423, Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (ACTSI) Renewal, Sexual Networks, Drugs, and HIV Risk among Men Who Have Sex With Men, G6113675784, G6471454067, Minority Populations Prevention Researcher Training, G7348756, PHASTT: A mobile Personalized HIV and STI Testing Tool for young Black men, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, G9000017811, G9000034708, G9000084140, G9000085470, G9000088977, G9000089011, G9000094365, G9000129761, G9000156378, G9000189728, G9000209594, G9000300956, HIV Prevention Trials Network Leadership and Operations Center, Traineeships in AIDS Prevention Studies, Center for AIDS Research at Emory University, Columbia Collaborative HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Unit, LC: HIV PREVENTION TRIALS NETWORK, SDMC: HIV Prevention Trials Network, Harvard University Center for AIDS Research, Boston HIV CTU
OpenAlex ID: W2218624900