Dataset Information

Investigating a sexual network of black men who have sex with men: implications for transmission and prevention of HIV infection in the United States.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:HIV infections increased 48% among young Black men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States between 2006 and 2009. Incomplete understanding of this trend undermines prevention strategy development. We investigated a sexual network to characterize the risk environment in which young Black MSM acquire HIV. METHODS:Persons reported to the state after diagnosis of HIV or syphilis were included, along with sexual partners. We used network mapping alongside descriptive and bivariate statistics to characterize network connections. Generalized linear models assessed predictors of having untraceable sex partners. RESULTS:The network included 398 individuals and 419 sexual relationships. Three-quarters were Black (n = 299); 92% were MSM. Median age at first network appearance was 26 years and decreased over time (P < 0.001). HIV prevalence was at least 29% (n = 117); serostatus was unknown for 47% of the network, either because they were untraceable (n = 150) or refused HIV testing (n = 39). One in 5 network members diagnosed with HIV had a subsequent incident sexually transmitted infection. In multivariable models, one-time encounters increased the risk of having an untraceable partner (risk ratio = 4.51, 95% CI: 2.27 to 8.97), whereas being acutely HIV infected at diagnosis reduced it (risk ratio = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.08 to 0.89). CONCLUSIONS:HIV prevalence in this sexual network of young Black MSM rivals that of sub-Saharan Africa, reflecting dramatically increased risk of acquiring HIV from the moment one entered the network. Prevention efforts for this population must consider the effect of sexual networks on HIV risk and find ways of leveraging network structure to reduce transmission.

SUBMITTER: Hurt CB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3494769 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Investigating a sexual network of black men who have sex with men: implications for transmission and prevention of HIV infection in the United States.

Hurt Christopher B CB Beagle Steve S Leone Peter A PA Sugarbaker Alyssa A Pike Emily E Kuruc JoAnn J Foust Evelyn M EM Eron Joseph J JJ Cohen Myron S MS Hightow-Weidman Lisa B LB

Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 20121201 4

<h4>Background</h4>HIV infections increased 48% among young Black men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States between 2006 and 2009. Incomplete understanding of this trend undermines prevention strategy development. We investigated a sexual network to characterize the risk environment in which young Black MSM acquire HIV.<h4>Methods</h4>Persons reported to the state after diagnosis of HIV or syphilis were included, along with sexual partners. We used network mapping alongside descriptiv ...[more]

PMID: 22972020

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Project description:In this paper, we present an overview and descriptive results from one of the first egocentric network studies of men who have sex with men (MSM) from across the United States: the ARTnet study. ARTnet was designed to support prevention research for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that are transmitted across partnership networks. ARTnet implemented a population-based egocentric network study design that sampled egos from the target population and asked them to report on the number, attributes, and timing of their sexual partnerships. Such data provide the foundation needed for parameterizing stochastic network models that are used for disease projection and intervention planning. ARTnet collected data online from 2017 to 2019, with a final sample of 4904 participants who reported on 16198 sexual partnerships. The aims of this paper were to characterize the joint distribution of three network parameters needed for modeling: degree distributions, assortative mixing, and partnership age, with heterogeneity by partnership type (main, casual and one-time), demography, and geography. Participants had an average of 1.19 currently active partnerships ("mean degree"), which was higher for casual partnerships (0.74) than main partnerships (0.45). The mean rate of one-time partnership acquisition was 0.16 per week (8.5 partners per year). Main partnerships lasted 272.5 weeks on average, while casual partnerships lasted 133.0 weeks. There was strong but heterogenous assortative mixing by race/ethnicity for all groups. The mean absolute age difference for all partnership types was 9.5 years, with main partners differing by 6.3 years compared to 10.8 years for casual partners. Our analysis suggests that MSM may be at sustained risk for HIV/STI acquisition and transmission through high network degree of sexual partnerships. The ARTnet network study provides a robust and reproducible foundation for understanding the dynamics of HIV/STI epidemiology among U.S. MSM and supporting the implementation science that seeks to address persistent challenges in HIV/STI prevention.

Project description:A recent randomized, controlled trial showed that daily oral preexposure chemoprophylaxis (PrEP) was effective for HIV prevention in men who have sex with men (MSM). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently provided interim guidance for PrEP in MSM at high risk for HIV. Previous studies did not reach a consistent estimate of its cost-effectiveness.To estimate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of PrEP in MSM in the United States.Dynamic model of HIV transmission and progression combined with a detailed economic analysis.Published literature.MSM aged 13 to 64 years in the United States.Lifetime.Societal.PrEP was evaluated in both the general MSM population and in high-risk MSM and was assumed to reduce infection risk by 44% on the basis of clinical trial results.New HIV infections, discounted quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios.Initiating PrEP in 20% of MSM in the United States would reduce new HIV infections by an estimated 13% and result in a gain of 550,166 QALYs over 20 years at a cost of $172,091 per QALY gained. Initiating PrEP in a larger proportion of MSM would prevent more infections but at an increasing cost per QALY gained (up to $216,480 if all MSM receive PrEP). Preexposure chemoprophylaxis in only high-risk MSM can improve cost-effectiveness. For MSM with an average of 5 partners per year, PrEP costs approximately $50,000 per QALY gained. Providing PrEP to all high-risk MSM for 20 years would cost $75 billion more in health care-related costs than the status quo and $600,000 per HIV infection prevented, compared with incremental costs of $95 billion and $2 million per infection prevented for 20% coverage of all MSM.PrEP in the general MSM population would cost less than $100,000 per QALY gained if the daily cost of antiretroviral drugs for PrEP was less than $15 or if PrEP efficacy was greater than 75%.When examining PrEP in high-risk MSM, the investigators did not model a mix of low- and high-risk MSM because of lack of data on mixing patterns.PrEP in the general MSM population could prevent a substantial number of HIV infections, but it is expensive. Use in high-risk MSM compares favorably with other interventions that are considered cost-effective but could result in annual PrEP expenditures of more than $4 billion.National Institute on Drug Abuse, Department of Veterans Affairs, and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Project description:ObjectivesIn the United States, all men who have sex with men (MSM) were banned from donating blood from 1985 through 2015. In 2016, the guideline was amended such that men who had sexual contact with other men within the previous 12 months could not donate blood. We aimed to identify blood donation practices and their relationship with HIV risk and testing among young adult MSM (YMSM) at risk for having HIV.MethodsIn 2014, we recruited HIV-negative non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white YMSM aged 18-24 from across the United States through social media platforms to complete an online survey. Among these YMSM who previously donated blood, we conducted a secondary analysis examining the relationship between having donated blood within the past 12 months and sexual risk behavior from recent condomless anal intercourse (CAI), HIV testing, and self-perceived risk of having an undiagnosed HIV infection.ResultsOf the 2261 YMSM surveyed, 1104 (48.8%) had ever previously donated blood and 305 (13.5%) had donated blood within the past 12 months. Of the 305 blood donors, 50 (16.4%) had ever had CAI before their most recent blood donation. Among YMSM who donated blood, past-12-month blood donation was more likely among YMSM who never had CAI (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-2.73) than among YMSM who had CAI and more likely among YMSM who believed it was not possible at all that they had an undiagnosed HIV infection (aOR = 1.57; 95% CI, 1.14-2.16) than among YMSM who believed there was any possibility of having an undiagnosed HIV infection; it was not related to past-12-month HIV testing.ConclusionsYMSM donated blood frequently, suggesting that the deferral process in place did not prevent YMSM from donating blood. The current donor screening process should be reconsidered if it is to prevent YMSM from donating blood. Future research could identify screening questions that permit YMSM with a low risk of HIV infection to donate blood while maintaining the safety of the blood supply.

Dataset Information

Investigating a sexual network of black men who have sex with men: implications for transmission and prevention of HIV infection in the United States.

Publications

Investigating a sexual network of black men who have sex with men: implications for transmission and prevention of HIV infection in the United States.

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