Social Geographies of Black Men who have sex with men: place, networks and HIV

描述（由申请人提供）：在美国，与男性发生性关系的非洲裔美国男性（AA MSM）继续受到艾滋病毒和艾滋病的不成比例的影响。这些差异并不能用个人层面的因素来充分解释。迄今为止，大部分艾滋病毒行为研究都集中在测量特定的风险事件，而没有考虑社会、地理（即，这些事件的空间和时间背景。时间和空间维度与同性行为的研究有关，特别是在AA MSM中，他们经历了高度的污名化和歧视。社交网络通过社会比较、社会监控和规范形成等过程对个体行为产生强大的影响。然而，人们对社交网络如何受到时间和地理因素的影响却知之甚少。很少有研究这些方面，因为它们涉及到艾滋病毒的风险和预防，特别是在AA男男性接触者。K01职业发展奖将使我能够进行一项跨学科的学习和研究计划，涉及社交网络的时间和空间维度，以及这些网络如何影响艾滋病毒风险行为，特别是在AA MSM中。这次培训将使我获得地理和定性方法方面的知识和技能，以补充我现有的研究，目的是更好地为制定文化上适当的干预措施提供信息。具体来说，我将获得：1）关于时间地理学，文化地理学和健康地理学分支学科的概念和方法的知识，因为它们适用于社交网络和艾滋病毒的研究，2）时间地理学方法的培训，以收集有关艾滋病毒风险行为的数据，因为它发生在社交网络，地点和时间的背景下，3）观察人种学方法的培训，4）定性数据分析的技能，5）密集的指导和指导，将培训和研究与我目前的研究相结合，使我能够作为一名独立的科学家寻求资金，并推进艾滋病毒预防科学领域。这一培训的主要成果之一将包括开发一个概念模型，社会科学家可以用来设计未来的干预措施和研究，其中包括社交网络和艾滋病毒风险行为的空间和时间方面。该模型将作为基础，以开展一项更大的R01水平的研究AA MSM和艾滋病毒的风险和发展，并评价伴随的艾滋病毒预防行为干预。此外，该奖项的研究和培训将产生科学出版物，推动艾滋病毒预防和行为科学领域的发展。公共卫生相关性：这项研究是一个跨学科的方法，以了解艾滋病毒的风险行为的社会空间和时间背景下，非洲裔美国男性与男性发生性关系（AA MSM）。这项研究的结果将确定有关艾滋病毒风险的新概念途径，这些途径可以为制定可持续的文化相关行为干预措施和政策提供信息，这些干预措施和政策支持各种社会背景下的预防行为，并减少男男性行为者中艾滋病毒的种族差异。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In the United States, African American men who have sex with men (AA MSM) continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS. These disparities have not been adequately explained by individual level factors. Much of the HIV behavioral research to date has focused on measuring specific risk events without consideration of the social, geographic (ie. spatial) and temporal context of these events. Temporal and spatial dimensions are pertinent to the study of same sex behavior, particularly among AA MSM, who experience high levels of stigmatization and discrimination. Social networks have been found to be powerful influences on individuals' behaviors, through processes of social comparison, social monitoring and norm formation. However, what is less understood are the ways in which social networks are also shaped by time and geography. There has been little study of these dimensions as they relate to HIV risk and prevention, especially among AA MSM. The K01 Career Development award will allow me to undertake an interdisciplinary program of study and research concerning the temporal and spatial dimensions of social networks and how these influence HIV risk behavior, specifically among AA MSM. This training will result in my acquisition of knowledge and skills in geography and qualitative methodology to complement my existing research, with the goal of better informing the development of culturally appropriate interventions. Specifically, I will gain: 1) knowledge about concepts and methodologies from the subdisciplines time- geography, cultural geography and health geography as they apply to the study of social networks and HIV, 2) training in time-geography methodology to collect data about HIV risk behavior as it occurs within the context of social networks, place and time, 3) training in observational ethnographic methods, 4) skills in qualitative data analysis and, 5) intensive mentoring and guidance to integrate the training and research with my current research such that I can seek funding as an independent scientist and advance the field of HIV prevention science. One of the primary outcomes of this training will include development of a conceptual model that social scientists can use to design future interventions and studies which incorporates the spatial and temporal dimensions of social networks and HIV risk behavior. This model will serve as a basis for developing a larger R01 level study of AA MSM and HIV risk and development and evaluation of an accompanying HIV prevention behavioral intervention. Furthermore, the research and training from the award will result in scientific publications that will advance the field of HIV prevention and behavioral science. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This research is an interdisciplinary approach to understand the socio-spatial and temporal context of HIV risk behavior among African American men who have sex with men (AA MSM). Results from this study will identify new conceptual pathways about HIV risk that can inform the development of sustainable culturally- relevant behavioral interventions and policies which bolster preventive behavior within various social contexts and reduce racial disparities in HIV among MSM.