HIV Risk and Social Networks of Gang-involved Homeless Youth

 描述(由申请人提供)：美国的年度统计数据表明，有160万无家可归的青年(HY)1，2和估计140万活跃的帮派成员。3无家可归和帮派成员的经历是已知的负面行为健康后果的决定因素，4-10包括最常被研究的艾滋病毒危险行为的潜在相关因素：药物使用和危险的性行为。11-13以前的研究发现，大约15%的HY人目前认为自己是帮派成员，高达32%的人曾与帮派有关联。13然而，人们对HY帮派成员和关系密切的同龄人知之甚少。为了更好地了解这一群体，拟议的研究将探索与社会网络相关的帮派HY中的艾滋病毒危险行为。这项研究的目标包括使用解释性的顺序混合方法大幅增加关于HY帮派参与的知识。在拟议研究的第一阶段，来自NIMH资助的R01研究(MH903336；PI：莱斯)和HY的定量调查数据和社会网络数据将被用来确定与帮派有关的HY(自我确认的成员和附属机构)中艾滋病毒危险行为和社会网络之间的关联。在第二阶段，将使用有目的的抽样方法来识别和选择与帮派有关的高危HY参加半结构化生活史日历(LHC)访谈。大型强子对撞机的方法将被用来对第一阶段的发现进行背景分析和扩展，并开发一个理论框架来理解艾滋病毒风险帮派参与的HY。使用多种数据来源(定量、社交网络和大型强子对撞机)的严格性将为文献提供独特的贡献，并增加我们对帮派参与和无家可归青年中的艾滋病毒风险的理解。在社区咨询委员会的协助下，这些调查结果将被用来为HY干预措施提供新的方向；具体地说，可以调整哪些网络级别的干预措施来预防HY人群中与帮派有关的艾滋病毒风险。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Annual statistics in the United States suggest that there are 1.6 million homeless youths (HY)1,2 and an estimated 1.4 million active gang members.3 Experiences of homelessness and gang membership are known determinants of negative behavioral health outcomes,4-10 including the most frequently examined potential correlates of HIV risk behaviors: substance use and risky sexual behavior. Although seemingly disparate occurrences, homelessness and gang involvement intersect.11-13 Previous research has found that approximately 15% of HY currently identify as gang members and up to 32% have ever been gang affiliated.13 However, very little is known about HY gang members and closely affiliated peers. To better understand this population, the proposed study will explore HIV risk behaviors among gang-involved HY related to social networks. The study's goals include drastically increasing knowledge regarding HY gang involvement using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach. During the first phase of the proposed study, quantitative survey data and social network data from an NIMH-funded R01 study (MH903336; PI: Rice) with HY will be used to identify associations between HIV risk behaviors and social networks among gang-involved HY (self- identified members and affiliates). In Phase 2, purposeful sampling methods will be used to identify and select high risk gang-involved HY to participate in semi-structured life history calendar (LHC) interviews. The LHC approach will be used to contextualize and expand on the Phase 1 findings and to develop a theoretical framework to understand the HIV risk gang-involved HY. The rigor of using multiple sources of data (quantitative, social network, and LHC) will provide a unique contribution to the literature and increase our understanding of gang involvement and HIV risk among homeless youths. With the assistance of a community advisory board, these findings will be used to inform new directions in HY interventions; specifically what network-level interventions could be adapted to prevent gang-related HIV risks in the HY population.