Estimating Substance Use Homophily in the Sexual Network of a Large Cohort of Young Sexual and Gender Minorities Assigned Male at Birth

Patrick Janulis; Gregory Phillips Ii; Cory Cascalheira; Brian Mustanski; Tom Wolff; Michelle Birkett

doi:10.1007/s10461-024-04576-9

Estimating Substance Use Homophily in the Sexual Network of a Large Cohort of Young Sexual and Gender Minorities Assigned Male at Birth

AIDS Behav. 2024 Dec 18. doi: 10.1007/s10461-024-04576-9. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Patrick Janulis^{1

2}, Gregory Phillips Ii^{3

4}, Cory Cascalheira⁵, Brian Mustanski^{3

4}, Tom Wolff^{3

4}, Michelle Birkett^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. patrick.janulis@northwestern.edu.
² Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. patrick.janulis@northwestern.edu.
³ Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
⁴ Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
⁵ Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, USA.

PMID: 39692966
DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04576-9

Abstract

Young sexual and gender minority (SGM) people assigned male at birth who use substances are at elevated risk of HIV acquisition. This brief report leverages a large cohort of SGM people assigned male at birth to estimate substance use homophily (i.e., same-same substance use status) in sexual partnerships. We found substance use homophily in this sexual network for marijuana, poppers, methamphetamine, and hallucinogens but not heavy episodic drinking, cocaine, or ecstasy. These results suggest substance use is associated with sexual network structure and may increase HIV disparities between individuals who do and do not use substances.

Keywords: Homophily; Sexual networks; Substance use; Young sexual and gender minority people assigned male at birth.

Abstract

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