Association of social network characteristics with HIV knowledge, stigma, and testing: findings from a study of racial and ethnic minority women in a small Western city

• Published in: AIDS care Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. 39 - 46
• Main Authors: Pullen, Erin, Gupta, Akrati, Stockman, Jamila K., Green, Harold D., Wagner, Karla D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 2022; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; AIDS; Black people; Black women; Ethnic and Racial Minorities; Ethnic groups; Ethnicity; Female; Gays & lesbians; Health risks; High risk; Hispanic Americans; HIV; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV knowledge; HIV stigma; Homeless people; Homelessness; Homosexuality, Male; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Individual differences; Intervention; Knowledge; Latin American cultural groups; Latina women; Male; Men; Men who have sex with men; Mens health; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority Groups; Prejudice; Prevention programs; Preventive medicine; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Sexually transmitted diseases; Social interactions; Social Networking; Social networks; Social organization; Social Stigma; STD; Stigma; Tests; Women; Social networks; Latina women; Black women; HIV knowledge; HIV stigma
• ISSN: 0954-0121; 1360-0451
• DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2021.1913717

Black and Latina women are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS. Despite existing research linking social networks and HIV risk among men who have sex with men (MSM) and other high-risk populations, little research has examined how ethnic/racial minority women's social networks shape HIV prevention and intervention targets. Using interviews with a sample of 165 predominantly Black and Latina-identifying women from a small city in the Western U.S., this research examines the relationship between egocentric network characteristics and HIV knowledge, attitudes, and testing history. Results reveal that network characteristics play a significant role in shaping HIV-related knowledge, prejudice, and testing intention but not HIV testing history. Individual-level factors like homelessness and perceptions of testing barriers are more salient for explaining testing behaviors than network characteristics. Intervention efforts to improve knowledge and reduce prejudice among Black and Latina women may benefit from mobilizing network ties.