Sociometric Risk Network Structure, HIV Prevalence, and Drug Injection-Related Norms among People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) in Athens, Greece

Abstract

Background: Structural properties of sociometric networks have been associated with behaviors related to HIV transmission. Very few studies, however, have explored the correlation between sociometric network factors and drug injection-related norms. Methods: This exploratory work: (i) describes basic structural qualities of a sociometric risk network of participants in the Transmission Reduction Intervention Project (TRIP) in Athens, Greece, in the context of a large HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs (PWID); (ii) measures HIV prevalence within specific structures within the sociometric risk network of PWID in TRIP; and (iii) explores the association of structural properties of the sociometric risk network in TRIP with drug injection-related norms. Results: The sociometric risk network in TRIP consisted of a large component (n = 241, 67.8%), a few small components (n = 36, 10.1%) with 2-10 individuals each, and some isolates (n = 79, 22.2%). HIV prevalence was significantly higher in the large component (55.6%), the 2-core (59.1%) and 3-core (66.3%) of the large component, and the 3-cliques of the cores. Drug injection-related norms were significantly associated with structural characteristics of the sociometric risk network. A safe behavioral pattern (use of unclean cooker/filter/rinse water was never encouraged) was significantly (p = 0.03) less normative among people who TRIP participants of the 2-core injected with (40.5%) than among network contacts of TRIP participants outside the 2-core (55.6%). On the contrary, at drug-using venues, 2-core members reported that safer behaviors were normative compared to what was reported by those without 2-core membership. Conclusions: Sociometric network data can give useful insights into HIV transmission dynamics and inform prevention strategies.

Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2021.1914103 .

Keywords:

• HIV
• PWID
• social networks
• sociometric networks
• norms
• risk
• behavior

Compliance with ethical standards

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individuals participated in TRIP.

Declarations of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by the United States (US) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (DP1 DA034989), the Hellenic Scientific Society for the study of AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), and the 2018 Asklepios Gilead Hellas Grants Programme.