YMAP: Young Men's Affiliation Project of HIV Risk and Prevention Venue

描述(由申请者提供)：我们提出了一项名为“青年男性从属项目(YMAP)”的研究，旨在通过引入一种新的方法来解决与健康相关的行为有关的社交网络的基本问题，从而提高社交网络分析的实用性。我们应用新的双模式网络方法来研究16-29岁的男男性行为者(YMSM)基于风险和健康场所的联系网络及其与人类免疫缺陷病毒(HIV)和性传播感染(STI)传播的关系。社会网络分析在理解传染病如何通过基于性或吸毒行为的“风险网络”传播方面的作用已经得到证明。然而，社会网络分析很少被用于调查与艾滋病毒危险行为可能发生的风险空间或促进艾滋病毒保护行为的健康空间的联系如何有助于疾病传播或更普遍的健康行为。既涉及风险又涉及保健场所的复杂和潜在竞争的场馆隶属模式可能会形成具有相互竞争影响的网络，其中一些可能会导致风险，另一些可能会对健康造成影响；人们对这种动态知之甚少，但反映了干预的关键点。YMAP的目的是调查艾滋病毒/性传播感染的风险和与基督教青年会会场附属机构创建的复杂社交网络相关的保护行为。YMAP将调查和描述网络对个人行为的影响(即，场馆从属关系导致行为)，以及基于行为同质性对场馆的选择性从属关系(即，行为相似的YMSM导致场馆从属关系)。我们的具体目标是：1)确定发生YMSM社交互动的场所；根据各自的特点创建场所类别(即，风险、健康或两者兼而有之)；2)通过风险和健康场所隶属关系确定网络对HIV/STI风险/保护行为的影响，并按地理位置进行比较；3)基于HIV/STI风险和保护行为的相似性调查与场所的选择性隶属关系；以及4)开发纵向双模式网络方法来探索场所隶属关系的动态。这项研究将采用混合方法设计，包括定性实地研究、纵向定量数据收集和新颖的社会网络分析。将在休斯顿和芝加哥采用受访者驱动抽样的方式招募700名不同种族和民族的YMSM样本。YMAP将引入新的方法来衡量基于从属关系的网络影响力、从属关系网络中的结构中心性，以及使用双模式指数随机图建模来估计与行为相关的网络配置。此外，将在两波纵向数据中探索与艾滋病毒/性传播感染风险/保护行为相关的联系网络的动态。YMAP通过解决与健康和行为有关的社交网络的基本问题来直接回应PAR，并开发创新的方法来促进、改进和扩展社交网络分析的能力。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We propose a study, the "Young Men's Affiliation Project (YMAP)," to advance the utility of social network analysis by introducing a new way of addressing fundamental questions about social networks in relation to health-related behavior. We apply novel two-mode network methodologies to study the risk and health venue- based affiliation networks of younger men who have sex with men (YMSM) ages 16-29 and their relation to the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The utility of social network analysis for understanding how infectious diseases are spread through "risk networks" based on sexual or drug use behaviors has been demonstrated. However, social network analysis has only rarely been utilized for investigating how affiliation with risk spaces, where HIV risk behavior can take place or health spaces, where HIV protective behaviors are promoted, contributes to disease transmission or health behavior more generally. Complex and potentially competing venue-based affiliation patterns, involving both risk and health venues may create networks with competing influences, some of which may contribute to risk and others to health; this dynamic is poorly understood, but reflects critical points for intervention. The purpose of YMAP is to investigate the HIV/STI risk and protective behaviors associated with complex webs of social networks created by YMSM's venue-based affiliations. YMAP will investigate and describe network influences on individuals' behavior (i.e., venue affiliation leads to behavior), as well as selective affiliation with venues based on behavioral homophily (i.e., YMSM with similar behaviors leads to venue affiliation). Our specific aims are to: 1) Identify venues where social interaction among YMSM occurs; create venue categories (i.e., risk, health, or both) considering their individual characteristics;2) Determine network influences on HIV/STI risk/protective behavior through risk and health venue affiliation and compare them by geographic location; 3) Investigate selective affiliation with venues based on similarity in HIV/STI risk and protective behaviors; and 4) Develop longitudinal two-mode network methodology to explore the dynamics of venue affiliation. The study will be implemented using a mixed method design, including qualitative field research, longitudinal quantitative data collection, and novel social network analyses. A racially and ethnically diverse sample of 700 YMSM will be recruited using respondent driven sampling in Houston and Chicago. YMAP will introduce new approaches to measuring affiliation-based network influence, structural centrality in affiliation networks, and estimating network configurations relating to behavior using two-mode exponential random graph modeling. Furthermore, the dynamics of affiliation networks in relation to HIV/STI risk/protective behaviors will be explored in two- wave of longitudinal data. YMAP responds directly to the PAR by addressing fundamental questions about social networks in relation to health and behavior, and to develop innovative methodologies to facilitate, improve, and expand the capability of social network analysis.