Research Track

Oral Presentations

16 - The Social and Sexual Networks of Black Transgender Women and Black Men Who Have Sex with Men: Results from a Representative Sample

Poster Presenter(s)

• 

  Jerel Ezell, MPH, MA

  Doctoral Student
  University of Chicago, Department of Sociology/Department of Medicine
  University of Chicago

  Nothing to disclose

Background : There is limited scholarship characterizing and assessing the social and sexual network-related health outcomes of young Black transgender women (TGW) or comparing these outcomes to those of young Black men who have sex with men (MSM). Social network analysis provides a salient method of understanding the dynamics driving the broad spectrum of adverse outcomes seen in these subgroups.

Methods : As part of the uConnect study, we explored the social/sexual health networks of 618 young, Black individuals assigned male at birth who have sex with men, 47 (7.6%) of whom identified as TGW. Utilizing respondent-driven sampling (RDS), data collection occurred over three waves between 2013 and 2016, in Chicago, Illinois. Univariate, logistic regression, and confidant and sexual network analyses were conducted to characterize dynamic network features.

Results : TGW’s sexual networks were significantly less stable (p=0.03) and had greater network turnover (p=0.04). TGW had significantly more sex partners (p=0.0002) and lower rates of employment (p

Conclusions : Utilizing RDS-generated data from a representative sample of younger Black individuals, we found that Black TGW have less sexual network stability in comparison to Black MSM but comparable structural network features. Furthermore, we determined that both groups, and Black TGW especially, possess considerable system-level, socioeconomic, and sexual health burdens.

Learning Objectives:

• Outline and contrast the general socioeconomic and sexual behavior characteristics of Black individuals assigned male at birth who have sex with men, including individuals identifying as transgender women.
• Describe and compare the social and sexual health network metrics (e.g., degree, centrality, etc.) of Black individuals assigned male at birth who have sex with men, including individuals identifying as transgender women.
• Spatially visualize the social and sexual health network composition of Black individuals assigned male at birth who have sex with men, including individuals identifying as transgender women.

1. Outline and contrast the general socioeconomic and sexual behavior characteristics of Black individuals assigned male at birth who have sex with men, including individuals identifying as transgender women.
2. Describe and compare the social and sexual health network metrics (e.g., degree, centrality, etc.) of Black individuals assigned male at birth who have sex with men, including individuals identifying as transgender women.
3. Spatially visualize the social and sexual health network composition of Black individuals assigned male at birth who have sex with men, including individuals identifying as transgender women.