Using GPS-defined venue-based affiliation networks among Black sexual minoritized men and transgender women to identify locations for HIV prevention interventions

Abstract

HIV biomedical intervention uptake is suboptimal among Black sexually minoritized men (SMM) and transgender women (TW). Venues where people meet and interact shape HIV-related risk and prevention behaviors. We aimed to construct GPS-defined venue-based affiliation networks and identify the unique set of venues that could maximize reach of HIV biomedical interventions among Black SMM and TW. We used baseline survey and GPS data from 272 Black SMM and TW in the Neighborhoods and Networks (N2) Cohort Study in Chicago, Illinois (2018-2019). We mapped participants' GPS data to the nearest pre-identified SMM- and TW-friendly venue (n=222) to construct affiliation networks. Network analyses were performed to identify influential venues that can yield high reach to intervention candidates. Participants were affiliated with 75.5% of all pre-identified venues based on GPS data. Two influential venues were identified in the non-PrEP use network, which when combined, could reach 52.5% of participants not taking PrEP. Participants that could be reached through these two influential venues reported more non-main sex partners than participants not affiliated with either venue (p=0.049). We demonstrate a potential for GPS-defined venue-based affiliation networks to identify unique combinations of venues that could maximize the impact of HIV prevention interventions.