The Co-evolution of online social networks and syphilis incidence among young black men who have sex with men.

ABSTRACT: Network contexts have been implicated in the facilitation of syphilis transmission, however little is known about the relationship between online social networks, a proxy for physical networks, and rates of syphilis infection and how they co-evolve over time. To these ends, this study explored the interdependent relationship between Facebook friendship network dynamics and rates of syphilis incidence among young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM). Specifically, we investigated the extent to which syphilis status, as a latent profile of network members, serves as a selection mechanism of Facebook tie formation and the degree to which Facebook friendships influenced dynamics of syphilis seroconversion. Sexual health, behavioral, and social network data were collected from a cohort of YB

SUBMITTER: Young LE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7939051 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature