Collective Avoidance of Social and Health Venues and HIV Racial Inequities: Network Modeling of Venue Avoidance on Venue Affiliation, Social Networks, and HIV Risk

Abstract

Many younger Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are exposed to homonegativity, societal stigma, and racial discrimination in their social environment. This study uses a social network modeling methodology to identify aspects of the social environment that are not often described, that is, the places and spaces or “venues” where YBMSM socialize or where they receive HIV prevention services. In particular, we identify the structural features of avoidance of these venues as an indicator of negative experiences, using bipartite exponential random graph models. Our study theorizes that YBMSM avoid certain venues en masse through information diffusion among social network members. We specify two social mechanisms of collective venue avoidance—(1) homophily (i.e., ego–alter similarity in venue avoidance) and (2) popular opinion leaders (as early adopters)—and test the corresponding hypotheses that (Hypothesis 1) socially connected individuals avoid venues together and that (Hypothesis 2) popular individuals would be more likely to avoid venues. Based on data collected from YBMSM aged 16 to 29 years between 2014 and 2016 in Houston, Texas ( N = 227) and Chicago, Illinois ( N = 241), results indicate that Hypothesis 1 was supported in both cities but that Hypothesis 2 was supported only in Chicago. The findings suggest that the structural patterns of venue avoidance are different between cities and may inform dissemination of prevention messages and delivery of venue- and social influence–based HIV interventions.

Identifying influential neighbors in social networks and venue affiliations among young MSM: a data science approach to predict HIV infection

“…Some network studies have applied stochastic agent-based network models to evaluate multiple mechanisms that account for racial disparities in HIV prevalence [33] and to evaluate multiple PrEP intervention strategies to compare future projections of HIV incidence [34] through simulation of dynamic networks involving the young MSM population. Other network studies have applied variants of exponential random graph models to model multilevel networks including one-mode social networks, two-mode venue affiliation networks, and two-mode venue avoidance networks in relation to HIV risk and PrEP uptake by estimating exponential random graph models [26,35,36].…”

Rejection-identification and increased use of geosocial networking apps to meet male sexual partners among Black men who have sex with men.

“…Among racial minorities, perceptions of racial stigmatization or devaluation (i.e., constituting racial stigma) within these spaces may influence individuals' preferences for sexual partner venue selection. Indeed, one recent network study (Fujimoto et al, 2020) found evidence for collective in-person venue avoidance among Black MSM, presumably driven by network-level representations of social life therein, including racial stigmatization. Although that particular study did not compare avoidance patterns between in-person and online venues or online venues as an alternative to in-person venues, it may be that perceptions of racial stigmatization also contribute to preferences for the nature of sexual partner venue selection.…”