Social Contexts, Sexual Networks, and Racial-Ethnic Disparities in STDs

描述(由申请人提供)：本项目的研究部分探索种族-民族隔离和不平等如何形成性网络和性传播疾病的传播。利用全国青少年健康纵向调查(Add Health)的数据，我将探索学校和社区层面的种族隔离和不平等如何影响性伴侣关系的形成。将Add Health的参数估计应用到模拟的性网络中，然后我将评估性网络和疾病传播在人口构成和种族-民族不平等模式不同的环境中可能会如何不同地进展。在结构社会学理论的启发下，本研究采取跨学科的方法，将可检验的社会科学假设应用于传染病流行病学问题。通过与导师和顾问的关系、课程安排和参加专业研讨会，该项目的培训部分将使我能够扩大我在健康差距方面的工作，包括(I)更多地关注作为健康决定因素的社会背景和网络，以及(Ii)新型传染性健康结果。拟议的项目有三个职业发展目标：(I)获得传染病流行病学和网络分析方面的技能和专业知识；(Ii)对美国的种族-民族STD差异进行原创研究；以及(Iii)准备一笔大笔赠款，以支持社会网络、健康差异和传染病方面的独立研究计划。 与公共卫生相关：在美国，性传播疾病存在很大的种族-民族差异。这个项目探索了学校和社区的种族隔离和不平等如何塑造性网络的结构，以及性网络的差异如何在种族-民族和社会经济构成不同的社区导致不同的流行病结果。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The research component of this project explores how racial-ethnic segregation and inequality shape sexual networks and the spread of sexually transmitted disease (STD). Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (Add Health), I will explore how racial- ethnic segregation and inequality at the school- and neighborhood-levels influence the formation of sexual partnerships. Applying parameter estimates from the Add Health to simulated sexual networks, I will then assess how sexual networks and disease diffusion may progress differently in settings with varying population compositions and patterns of racial-ethnic inequality. Informed by structural sociological theory, this research takes an interdisciplinary approach and applies testable social science hypotheses to problems of infectious disease epidemiology. Through relationships with mentors and advisors, coursework, and participation in professional seminars, the training component of this project would allow me to expand my work on health disparities to include (i) greater attention to social contexts and networks as determinants of health, and (ii) new types of contagious health outcomes. There are three career development objectives for the proposed project: (i) obtain skills and expertise in infectious disease epidemiology and network analysis; (ii) conduct original research on racial-ethnic STD disparities in the U.S.; and (iii) prepare a major grant to support an independent research program in social networks, health disparities, and infectious disease. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: There are large racial-ethnic disparities in sexually transmitted diseases in the United States. This project explores how racial-ethnic segregation and inequality across schools and neighborhoods shape the structure of sexual networks, and how differences in sexual networks may lead to different epidemic outcomes in communities with varying racial-ethnic and socioeconomic make-ups.