Alcohol Use and HIV Risk Within Social Networks of MSM Sex Workers in the Dominican Republic

• Published in: AIDS and behavior Vol. 21; no. Suppl 2; pp. 216 - 227
• Main Authors: Tan, Diane, Holloway, Ian W., Gildner, Jennifer, Jauregui, Juan C., Garcia Alvarez, Rafael, Guilamo-Ramos, Vincent
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.11.2017; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adult; AIDS; Alcohol Drinking - adverse effects; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcohol use; Alcoholic beverages; Alcoholism - epidemiology; Alcoholism - psychology; Alcohols; Demographics; Dominican Republic - epidemiology; Drinking behavior; Drug abuse; Female; Health Psychology; Health risks; HIV; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - epidemiology; Homosexuality, Male; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Male; Mass Screening; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original Paper; Prostitution; Public Health; Risk; Risk behavior; Risk taking; Sex; Sex industry; Sex Workers; Sexual Behavior; Sexually transmitted diseases; Social interactions; Social networks; Social organization; Social Support; Sociodemographics; STD; Substance-Related Disorders; Workers; Dominican Republic; Dominican Republic; Social networks; Human immunodeficiency virus; Sex work; Alcohol use
• ISSN: 1090-7165; 1573-3254; 1573-3254
• DOI: 10.1007/s10461-017-1896-1

To examine how alcohol-related HIV risk behaviors within MSM sex workers’ social networks (SN) may be associated with individual risk behaviors, respondent-driven and venue-based sampling were used to collect demographic, behavioral and SN characteristics among MSM sex workers in Santo Domingo and Boca Chica (N = 220). The majority of participants reported problem drinking (71.0%) or alcohol use at their last sexual encounter (71.4%). Self-reported problem drinking was associated with SN characteristics (at least one member who recently got drunk aOR = 7.5, no religious/spiritual adviser aOR = 3.0, non-sexual network density aOR = 0.9), while self-reported alcohol use at last sex was associated with individual (drug use at last sex aOR = 4.4) and SN characteristics (at least one member with previous HIV/STI testing aOR = 4.7). Dominican MSM sex workers reported high alcohol use, which may increase their risk for HIV. A better understanding of SN factors associated with individual risk behaviors can help guide appropriate intervention development.