title: Identifying and characterizing places for the targeted control of heterosexual HIV transmission in urban areas.
abstract: Places with active HIV transmission may serve as key locations for targeted control. In 2008-2009, heterosexual sex partner venues in Baltimore, MD were identified using a three-phase process and characterized by the presence or absence of HIV cases. 1,594 participants aged 18-35 years were enrolled at 87 venues. The study yielded an overall HIV prevalence of 3.7 %; 42 % of venues had ≥1 case of HIV (i.e., HIV positive venues). In final age-adjusted models, HIV positive venues had 10 % more high HIV-risk sexual partnering (95 % CI 1.01, 1.19) and more than twice as much drug market activity (95 % CI 1.04, 6.46) compared to HIV negative venues. Commercial sex work, parenteral risk behavior and venue-level sex market activity were not significantly associated with HIV status of the venues. This study highlights characteristics of venues, such as drug market activity, that may be important in identifying places with active HIV transmission.
authors: Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA, spolk@jhmi.edu.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Polk
authors: Jonathan M
authors: JM
authors: Ellen
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Fichtenberg
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Huettner
authors: Meredith
authors: M
authors: Reilly
authors: Jenita
authors: J
authors: Parekh
authors: Jacky M
authors: JM
authors: Jennings
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D020010:Heterosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011477:Sex Work; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D014505:Urban Population