SOCIAL AND SEXUAL NETWORKS - THEIR ROLE IN THE SPREAD OF HIV AIDS AMONG YOUNG GAY MEN/

This article examines how networks of social and sexual relations affe ct risky sexual behavior and HIV seroprevalence among young gay men. S ocial networks can transmit information and cultural norms regarding s afer sex, while networks of sexual partners channel the risk of exposu re to HIV infection. These two network effects may help to explain som e of the behavior and seroconversion differentials in the gay communit y. A number of recent studies have shown higher rates of unsafe sex am ong younger gay men. In the Longitudinal AIDS Impact Project, for exam ple, younger gay men (18-24) report unsafe receptive anal sex at rates double that for any other age group (30% vs. 14-16%). One possible ex planation is that younger men have watched fewer friends and colleague s contract HIV or AIDS, and are correspondingly less cautious. We test this hypothesis by comparing the personal networks of younger and old er gay men to see whether those who practice safer sex have more expos ure to persons with HIV or AIDS. The results give only weak support fo r the hypothesis that personal exposure to the effects of HIV and AIDS increases adherence to safer sex practices. Seroprevalence patterns a mong young men may be the result of their sexual networks, with those choosing older partners more likely to be exposed to HIV infection. We examine this hypothesis by comparing the age composition of the unsaf e sexual partner network for seropositive and seronegative young men. The results strongly support the hypothesis that younger gay men with older partners are the leading edge of the epidemic in their cohort.