title: Reconciling Epidemiology and Social Justice in the Public Health Discourse Around the Sexual Networks of Black Men Who Have Sex With Men.
abstract: Several studies have implicated the sexual networks of Black men who have sex with men (MSM) as facilitating disproportionally high rates of new HIV infections within this community. Although structural disparities place these networks at heightened risk for infection, HIV prevention science continues to describe networks as the cause for HIV disparities, rather than an effect of structures that pattern infection. We explore the historical relationship between public health and Black MSM, arguing that the current articulation of Black MSM networks is too often incomplete and counterproductive. Public health can offer a counternarrative that reconciles epidemiology with the social justice that informs our discipline, and that is required for an effective response to the epidemic among Black MSM.
authors.affiliation: Derrick D. Matthews is with the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Justin C. Smith is with the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Andre L. Brown is with the Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. David J. Malebranche is with Student Health Service, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: Derrick D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.affiliation: Derrick D. Matthews is with the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Justin C. Smith is with the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Andre L. Brown is with the Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. David J. Malebranche is with Student Health Service, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: Justin C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Derrick D. Matthews is with the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Justin C. Smith is with the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Andre L. Brown is with the Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. David J. Malebranche is with Student Health Service, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: Andre L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Derrick D. Matthews is with the Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Justin C. Smith is with the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Andre L. Brown is with the Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. David J. Malebranche is with Student Health Service, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Malebranche
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012935:Social Justice; D012944:Social Support