HIV-Positive Men Are More Likely to Be Hyper Linked Within College Student Social Network - Northeast China, 2017-2018.

Abstract

Men who have sex with men (MSM) bear a disproportionate burden of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections and young MSM demonstrate parallel internet-driven HIV incident infection and dynamic social network. The HIV positive prevalence and incidence among college MSM were 3.8% and 2.9 per 100 person-years, respectively, while these rates were 13.9% and 10.5 per 100 person-years, respectively, among their social contacts. The overall HIV positive prevalence was 7.2% in Northeast China. HIV-positive MSM have comparatively more social contacts than HIV-seronegative MSM. Hyper-linkages found in app-based social networks play an important role in HIV transmission via risky sexual behavior and suggest options for online intervention to promote HIV prevention.