Integrated molecular and affiliation network analysis: Core-periphery social clustering is associated with HIV transmission patterns

Kayo Fujimoto; Dimitrios Paraskevis; Jacky C Kuo; Camden J Hallmark; Jing Zhao; Andre Hochi; Lisa M Kuhns; Lu-Yu Hwang; Angelos Hatzakis; John A Schneider

doi:10.1016/j.socnet.2021.05.003

Integrated molecular and affiliation network analysis: Core-periphery social clustering is associated with HIV transmission patterns

Soc Networks. 2022 Jan:68:107-117. doi: 10.1016/j.socnet.2021.05.003. Epub 2021 May 23.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Promotion, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, UCT 2514, Houston, TX 77030.
² Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
³ Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030.
⁴ City of Houston Health Department, Houston, TX.
⁵ Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030.
⁶ Division of Adolescent Medicine, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, and Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 225 E. Chicago Avenue, #161, Chicago, IL 60611.
⁷ Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Science, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030.
⁸ Department of Medicine and Public Health Sciences and the Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, University of Chicago, 5837 South Maryland Avenue MC 5065, Chicago, IL 60637.

Abstract

This study investigates the two-mode core-periphery structures of venue affiliation networks of younger Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM). We examined the association between these structures and HIV phylogenetic clusters, defined as members who share highly similar HIV strains that are regarded as a proxy for sexual affiliation networks. Using data from 114 YBMSM who are living with HIV in two large U.S. cities, we found that HIV phylogenetic clustering patterns were associated with social clustering patterns whose members share affiliation with core venues that overlap with those of YBMSM. Distinct HIV transmission patterns were found in each city, a finding that can help to inform tailored venue-based and network intervention strategies.

Keywords: HIV transmission networks; core-periphery structure; phylogenetics; racial disparity; sexual networks; social determinants of health; venue affiliation network; young black men who have sex with men.

Abstract

Grants and funding