Sex partner selection, social networks, and repeat sexually transmitted infections in young men: A preliminary report

Goal: The goal of this study was to examine the risk for repeat sexually transmitted infections (STIs) associated with reducing the number of sex partners who come from within the social networks of males 13 to 25 years old in Baltimore, Maryland, and Denver, Colorado. Study: Asymptomatic males diagnosed with chlamydia and/or gonorrhea as part of an asymptomatic chlamydia and gonorrhea male screening project were recruited and interviewed about their sexual behaviors and their perceptions of social characteristics and sexual behaviors of their sex partners. We characterized the sex partners of each participant as belonging to or not belonging to his social network. We examined whether a decrease in percentage of sex partners who were in the participant's social network was associated with repeat infection. Results: There were 47 participants in Baltimore and 92 in Denver. In both cities, there was a trend toward a finding that decreasing the percentage of sex partners belonging to a participant's social network was protective for repeat STI. Conclusion: These data suggest that interventions may need to be designed to reduce the prevalence of infection in the social networks of infected men.