Figure 1.
Conceptual framework for an environmental perspective on the production of HIV prevention and sex behavior outcomes (adapted from Rhodes, Singer, Bourgois, Friedman, and Strathdee, 2005)
Figure 2.
A hypothetical multiplex egocentric network. The egocentric network is comprised of an Ego, or study respondent, (black circle), their identified peers (gold circles), and their identified Facebook groups (pink squares). Three types of co-existing and overlapping relationships are shown between ego and his/her/their peers: (1) confidant ties (lines in red); (2) sex partner ties (lines in green); and (3) Facebook friendship ties (lines in blue). A fourth type of relationship is shown between ego and Facebook groups to show an ego’s Facebook group affiliations (dashed lines). In total, ego has 4 confidants, 3 sex partners, 10 Facebook friends, and 8 Facebook group affiliations. Dyadic multiplexity (when two individuals interact in more than one relational context) is shown by the presence of multiple ties between the ego and a peer.
Table 1.
Subject Classification Scheme for Facebook Groups
| Subject Category | Definition |
|---|---|
| Sexual Attraction * | Groups that underscore physical/sexual attractiveness and that enable partner “cruising”, flirtatious exchange, sexual networking, and sexual expression |
| Chat * | Groups that provide a casual forum for posting and conversational exchange among members; posts tend not to be subject specific and content tends to be random (e.g., gossip groups) |
| LGBTQ Identity * | Groups that are about gay pride or gay identity; the focus is on celebrating gay identity and “being” in the LGBTQ community (e.g., LGBTQ advocacy groups) |
| Ballroom Culture * | Ballroom Houses are queer surrogate kinship groups that take on the role structure of traditional hetero-normative families (e.g., mothers, fathers, children, siblings) and participate in gender expression competitions/performances. These are groups for members of specific Ballroom Houses and Gay Families, groups about Ballroom culture, groups about performance styles (e.g., vogueing) |
| Events | Groups that promote events — e.g., nightlife/club events, festivals, community events, live shows, etc. |
| Recreational Interests | Groups about past time interests and hobbies pursued for fun, amusement, or entertainment. Examples include: sports, gaming, dance, poetry, art, reading, listening to music, watching TV etc. |
| Personal / Professional Promotion | Groups that promote an individual’s image and/or talent for that person’s gain; groups that enable professional networking, promote personal businesses and jobs, money-making opportunities, career advancement etc. |
| Health & Well being | Groups that provide information and/or support to members with respect to physical, emotional, and spiritual health and well being. |
| Community | Groups about place-based community life (e.g. school alumni groups, neighborhood alumni groups, church groups, groups about living in Chicago, etc.) |
Table 2.
Characteristics of young Black men who have sex with men in Chicago, USA (N=268)
| Characteristics | Percent |
|---|---|
| Prevention and sex behaviors | |
| Received HIV care (prevention or treatment) from provider | 68.3 |
| Tested for HIV or STIs at least 3 times in the last 9 months | 83.6 |
| Heard of PrEP | 77.2 |
| Condomless sex | 59.3 |
| Sex drug use | 35.1 |
| Group sex | 17.2 |
| Sociodemographic, behavioral and structural factors (controls) | |
| Mean Age | 23.47 (2.90; 17, 29) |
| Sexual orientation (bisexual) | 26.1 |
| HIV status (HIV+) | 41.4 |
| Health insurance coverage | 77.2 |
| Housing instability (in last 12 months) | 20.5 |
| Criminal justice involvement (ever) | 11.9 |
| Member of a ball house or gay family | 31.3 |
| Recreational marijuana use (daily or more) | 29.5 |
| Confidant ego-network features | |
| Mean number of confidants | 2.21 (1.11; 0, 5) |
| At least one confidant who is MSM | 45.5 |
| At least one confidant who knows respondent is MSM | 39.9 |
| At least one confidant who is biological / play family | 10.1 |
| Sexual ego-network features | |
| Mean number of partners in past 6 months | 2.72 (1.58; 0, 6) |
| At least one partner who is HIV+ | 24.6 |
| At least one partner met through mutual friends | 47.8 |
| At least one partner met at bars, clubs, or ball events | 14.9 |
| At least one partner met in public spaces | 20.2 |
| At least one partner met online | 46.3 |
| Facebook network features | |
| Number of Facebook friends | 44.65 (27.60; 0, 162) |
| Number of Facebook group affiliations | 11.00 (14.01; 1, 89) |
| At least one LGBTQ identity Facebook group | 56.4 |
| At least one Sexual Attraction Facebook group | 51.5 |
| At least one Chat Facebook group | 60.5 |
| At least one Secret Facebook group | 73.7 |
| Mean range of subjects among Facebook groups | 3.95 (2.19; 1, 9) |
Table 3.
Odd ratios from multiple logistic regressions showing predictive factors for prevention outcomes among young Black men who have sex with men in Chicago, USA
| Characteristics | HIV Care | HIV/STI Testing | PrEP Awareness | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| aOR | 95% CI | aOR | 95% CI | aOR | 95% CI | |
| Socio-demographic and structural | ||||||
| Age | 0.94 | 0.81-1.08 | 0.86 | 0.72- | 1.11 | 0.95- |
| Sexual orientation (bisexual) | 0.61 | 0.27-1.34 | 0.74 | 0.25- | 0.39 | 0.15- |
| HIV status (HIV+) | 4.60 | 2.17- | 0.67 | 0.25- | 1.54 | 0.61- |
| Health coverage | 1.16 | 0.49-2.71 | 1.24 | 0.41- | 1.14 | 0.49- |
| Housing instability (in last 12 months) | 1.35 | 0.55-3.32 | 0.94 | 0.27- | 0.75 | 0.27- |
| Criminal justice involvement (ever) | 1.19 | 0.41-3.45 | 5.75 | 0.59- | 0.72 | 0.27- |
| Member of a ball house or gay family | 1.67 | 0.67-4.18 | 0.85 | 0.22- | 0.63 | 0.25- |
| Behavioral factors (controls) | 1.49 | 0.70-3.20 | 1.07 | 0.44- | 0.82 | 0.34- |
| Recreational marijuana use (daily or Condomless Sex | 1.21 | 0.55-2.68 | 1.92 | 0.84- | 1.37 | 0.58- |
| Sex drug use | 1.00 | 0.46-2.19 | 1.25 | 0.43- | 0.73 | 0.31- |
| Group sex | 1.06 | 0.36-3.10 | 3.10 | 0.62- | 1.20 | 0.39- |
| HIV care | — | — | 1.11 | 0.44- | 2.93 | 1.32- |
| HIV/STI tester | 1.01 | 0.41-2.48 | — | — | 1.40 | 0.44- |
| PrEP aware | 2.89 | 1.29- | 1.20 | 0.44- | — | — |
| Confidant ego-network features | ||||||
| Number of confidants | 1.14 | 0.83-1.57 | 0.81 | 0.53- | 1.20 | 0.79- |
| At least one confidant who is biological/ | 2.17 | 0.57-8.19 | 1.48 | 0.36- | 0.52 | 0.12- |
| At least one confidant who is MSM | 0.62 | 0.27-1.39 | 1.24 | 0.43- | 0.90 | 0.35- |
| At least one confidant who knows they | 2.03 | 0.87-4.72 | 0.43 | 0.14- | 1.09 | 0.40- |
| Sexual ego-network features | ||||||
| Number of partners in past 9 months | 1.14 | 0.87-1.49 | 1.59 | 1.09- | 0.78 | 0.50- |
| At least one partner who is HIV+ | 1.75 | 0.71-4.31 | 1.75 | 0.52- | 2.67 | 0.88- |
| At least one partner met through mutual | 0.64 | 0.29-1.38 | 0.43 | 0.17- | 0.76 | 0.33- |
| At least one partner met at bars, clubs, or | 2.17 | 0.61-7.66 | 1.09 | 0.25- | 1.03 | 0.22- |
| At least one partner met in public spaces | 1.06 | 0.43-2.59 | 2.17 | 0.69- | 1.51 | 0.47- |
| At least one partner met online | 0.98 | 0.43-2.23 | 0.51 | 0.14- | 2.93 | 0.95- |
| Facebook network features | ||||||
| Number of Facebook friends | 1.01 | 0.86-1.19 | 1.25 | 0.99- | 1.10 | 0.94- |
| Number of Facebook group affiliations | 0.98 | 0.94-1.01 | 1.09 | 0.99- | 1.03 | 0.98- |
| At least one LGBTQ identity Facebook | 0.67 | 0.26-1.71 | 1.47 | 0.47- | 0.87 | 0.30- |
| At least one Sexual Attraction Facebook | 1.06 | 0.42-2.68 | 0.33 | 0.10- | 1.12 | 0.40- |
| At least one Chat Facebook group | 2.82 | 1.18- | 0.72 | 0.27- | 1.46 | 0.55- |
| At least one Secret Facebook group | 1.08 | 0.41-2.86 | 2.61 | 0.83- | 0.69 | 0.27- |
| Range of subjects among Facebook | 1.04 | 0.72-1.50 | 0.84 | 0.53- | 0.86 | 0.58- |
Table 4.
Odd ratios from multiple logistic regressions showing predictive factors for sex behavior outcomes among young Black men who have sex with men in Chicago, USA (N=268)
| Characteristics | Condom less Sex | Sex Drug Use | Group Sex | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| aOR | 95% CI | aOR | 95% | aOR | 9 | |
| Socio-demographic and structural factors (controls) | ||||||
| Age | 0.95 | 0.83-1.09 | 1.06 | 0.93- | 1.11 | 0 |
| Sexual orientation (bisexual) | 1.75 | 0.73-4.18 | 0.76 | 0.32- | 1.64 | 0 |
| HIV status (HIV+) | 0.60 | 0.28-1.29 | 1.44 | 0.67- | 0.71 | 0 |
| Health coverage | 0.40 | 0.18-0.91* | 1.09 | 0.41- | 0.43 | 0 |
| Housing instability (in last 12 months) | 0.57 | 0.25-1.31 | 1.20 | 0.50- | 1.06 | 0 |
| Criminal justice involvement (ever) | 3.65 | 1.08- | 0.87 | 0.30- | 2.00 | 0 |
| Member of a ball house or gay family | 0.43 | 0.17-1.07 | 0.80 | 0.36- | 2.70 | 0 |
| Behavioral factors (controls) | ||||||
| Recreational marijuana use (daily or more) | 1.08 | 0.48-2.43 | 2.03 | 0.98- | 1.29 | 0 |
| Condomless Sex | — | — | 1.87 | 0.83- | 0.50 | 0 |
| Sex drug use | 1.82 | 0.83-4.01 | — | — | 2.35 | 0 |
| Group sex | 0.41 | 0.14-1.21 | 1.94 | 0.68- | — | — |
| HIV care | 1.08 | 0.50-2.31 | 0.99 | 0.45- | 1.23 | 0 |
| HIV/STI tester | 1.82 | 0.78-4.28 | 1.01 | 0.37- | 3.35 | 0 |
| PrEP aware | 1.54 | 0.68-3.47 | 0.77 | 0.33- | 1.54 | 0 |
| Confidant ego-network features | ||||||
| Number of confidants | 1.44 | 1.04-2.00* | 1.01 | 0.74- | 1.23 | 0 |
| At least one confidant who is biological / play family | 0.15 | 0.05- | 0.71 | 01.22- | 1.08 | 0 |
| At least one confidant who is MSM | 0.93 | 0.42-2.06 | 2.32 | 1.09- | 1.09 | 0 |
| At least one confidant who knows they are MSM | 1.76 | 0.74-4.17 | 1.04 | 0.47- | 0.50 | 0 |
| Sexual ego-network features | ||||||
| Number of partners in past 9 months | 1.13 | 0.86-1.47 | 0.97 | 0.75- | 1.41 | 1 |
| At least one partner who is HIV+ | 3.53 | 1.37-9.06* | 1.55 | 0.72- | 1.04 | 0 |
| At least one partner met through mutual friends | 0.44 | 0.22-0.90* | 1.59 | 0.78- | 0.62 | 0 |
| At least one partner met at bars, clubs, or ball events | 2.91 | 0.88-9.58 | 1.10 | 0.41- | 2.71 | 0 |
| At least one partner met in public spaces | 3.13 | 1.10-8.96* | 1.83 | 0.73- | 0.44 | 0 |
| At least one partner met online | 2.65 | 1.20-5.85* | 2.96 | 1.28- | 5.30 | 1 |
| Facebook network features | ||||||
| Number of Facebook friends | 1.25 | 1.03-1.51* | 1.17 | 1.01- | 0.91 | 0 |
| Number of Facebook group affiliations | 0.98 | 0.95-1.02 | 1.03 | 0.99- | 0.97 | 0 |
| At least one LGBTQ Identity Facebook group | 0.36 | 0.14-0.92* | 1.11 | 0.42- | 1.12 | 0 |
| At least one Sexual Attraction Facebook group | 0.78 | 0.30-2.07 | 0.88 | 0.39- | 2.00 | 0 |
| At least one Chat Facebook group | 1.07 | 0.42-2.72 | 1.45 | 0.61- | 1.08 | 0 |
| At least one Secret Facebook group | 0.78 | 0.28-2.21 | 1.20 | 0.50- | 1.60 | 0 |
| Range of subjects among Facebook groups | 1.31 | 0.91-1.90 | 0.68 | 0.48- | 0.94 | 0 |