The Role of Sexual Partnership Networks in the Epidemiology of Gonorrhea

Ghani, Azra C.; Swinton, Jonathan; Garnett, Geoff P.

doi:10.1097/00007435-199701000-00009

Cited by 225 publications

(162 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Second, exact relationship timing was not taken into account, based on evidence that short-term cumulative network measures are more relevant for disease transmission than instantaneous measures. 16 We used a sexual network position categorization that we have validated as a marker of STI infection with chlamydia and gonorrhea in a previous analysis of the Bayview network data. 17 Based on those results, participants were divided into three groups of increasing STI risk.…”

Section: Network Positionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Environment and Sexual Network Position

et al. 2010

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Rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are strongly associated with neighborhood poverty; however, the mechanisms responsible for this association remain unclear. Using a population-based study of sexual networks among urban African American adolescents, we tested the hypothesis that poverty, unemployment, and the sex ratio drive STI rates by affecting sexual network structure. Participants were categorized as being in one of three network positions that had previously been found to be strongly linked to infection with chlamydia and gonorrhea: being in a confirmed dyad (i.e., a monogamous pair), being connected to a larger network through one partner, and being in the center of a larger network. We found that only poverty was statistically significantly associated with sexual network position. Residing in the poorest third of neighborhoods was associated with 85% decreased odds of being in confirmed dyads. There was no association of sexual network position with neighborhood employment. Living in a neighborhood with an unequal number of young men and women appeared to be associated with a higher likelihood of being in a confirmed dyad; however, the differences were not statistically significant. These results suggest that poverty may impact STI rates by shaping sexual network structure, but we did not find any evidence that this association operates through unemployment or the sex ratio.

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Section: Network Positionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Environment and Sexual Network Position

et al. 2010

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“…Second, it is not necessarily the case that these patterns can be easily expressed in tractable mathematics. Refined models based on typical social patterns such as partnership formation and dissolution [22,23], sexual network formations [24], or concurrent partnership [25] have been analyzed by various authors (see also [26,27,28]), and more recently in the context of HIV/AIDS transmission [29,30]. However such models are susceptible to unreliable data since sexual intercourses are difficult to track through statistical surveys or marital status.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Renaissance model of an epidemic with quarantine

Dobay

Gall

Rankin

et al. 2013

Journal of Theoretical Biology

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Quarantine is one possible solution to limit the propagation of an emerging infectious disease. Typically, infected individuals are removed from the population by avoiding physical contact with healthy individuals. A key factor for the success of a quarantine strategy is the carrying capacity of the facility. This is often a known parameter, while other parameters such as those defining the population structure are more difficult to assess. Here we develop a model where we explicitly introduce the carrying capacity of the quarantine facility into a susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) framework. We show how the model can address the propagation and control of contact and sexually transmitted infections. We illustrate this by a case study of the city of Zurich during the 16th century, when it had to face an epidemic of syphilis. After Swiss mercenaries came back from a war in Naples in 1495, the authorities of the city addressed subsequent epidemics by, among others, placing infected members of the population in quarantine. Our results suggest that a modestly sized quarantine facility can successfully prevent or reduce an epidemic. However, false detection can present a real impediment for this solution. Indiscriminate quarantine of individuals can lead to the overfilling of the facility, and prevent the intake of infected individuals. This results in the failure of the quarantine policy. Hence, improving the rate of true over false detection becomes the key factor for quarantine strategies. Moreover, in the case of sexually transmitted infections, asymmetries in the male to female ratio, and the force of infection pertaining to each sex and class of sexual encounter can alter the effectiveness of quarantine measures. For example, a heterosexually transmitted disease that mainly affects one sex is harder to control in a population with more individuals of the opposite sex. Hence an imbalance in the sex ratios as seen in situations such as mining colonies, or populations at war, can present impediments for the success of quarantine policies. AbstractQuarantine is one possible solution to limit the propagation of an emerging infectious disease. Typically, infected individuals are removed from the population by avoiding physical contact with healthy individuals. A key factor for the success of a quarantine strategy is the carrying capacity of the facility. This is often a known parameter, while other parameters such as those defining the population structure are more difficult to assess. Here we develop a model where we explicitly introduce the carrying capacity of the quarantine facility into a susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) framework. We show how the model can address the propagation and control of contact and sexually transmitted infections. We illustrate this by a case study of the city of Zurich during the 16 th century, when it had to face an epidemic of syphilis. After Swiss mercenaries came back from a war in Naples in 1495, the authorities of the city addressed subsequent epidemics by, amon...

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“…Meanwhile it is always good to emphasize the importance of studying personal networks due to the relative ease of carrying out these studies, making possible responses to scientific questions about the their epidemiological impact on STD/HIV. An example of this is an article published by Ghani et al 16 , in which the authors demonstrate that the risk of a person acquiring an infection is determined by the structure of his/her personal network.…”

Section: Dynamics Of Stdmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relevance of social network analysis on the epidemiology and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases

Périssé¹,

Nery

2007

Cad. Saúde Pública

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Historically, the epidemiology of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) has been based on individual attributes and behavior. However, STD constitute a good example of diseases that depend on personal contacts for dissemination. Social network analysis is a relatively new technique that studies the interactions among people. Since 1985 when it was first used for STD, some studies have been done using the technique, especially in the last 10 years. The two network-based designs, sociocentric or complete networks and egocentric or personal networks, are currently recognized as important tools for a better understanding of STD's dynamic. Here an overview is presented of social network analysis: the technique, its use, and its limitations. Ethical considerations regarding social network analyses are also briefly discussed.

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The Role of Sexual Partnership Networks in the Epidemiology of Gonorrhea

Cited by 225 publications

References 30 publications

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Environment and Sexual Network Position

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Environment and Sexual Network Position

Renaissance model of an epidemic with quarantine

The relevance of social network analysis on the epidemiology and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases

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