Using gay men's sexual networks to reduce sexually transmitted disease (STD)/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission

Abstract

An individual's risk of acquiring or transmitting a sexually transmitted disease or HIV is affected both by individual risk factors and by one's location within a sexual network. Therefore, prevention efforts must consider intervening with both individuals and with network conformations. Helping gay and bisexual men make more informed choices about their partners and fragmenting networks to reduce the likelihood of risky encounters between high-risk core group members and those at lower risk are two strategies for reducing transmission in this population. Network-level interventions are particularly well suited for places such as commercial sex venues and Internet sites where gay and bisexual men meet new sexual partners.