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

Abstract

What is already known about this topic? 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. What is added by this report? 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. What are the implications for public health practice? 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.