Geospatial Indicators of Space and Place: A Review of Multilevel Studies of HIV Prevention and Care Outcomes Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States

J Sex Res. 2017 May-Jun;54(4-5):446-464. doi: 10.1080/00224499.2016.1271862. Epub 2017 Jan 31.

Abstract

Young men who have sex with men (YMSM), particularly YMSM who are racial/ethnic minorities, are disproportionately affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic in the United States. These HIV disparities have been linked to demographic, social, and physical geospatial characteristics. The objective of this scoping review was to summarize the existing evidence from multilevel studies examining how geospatial characteristics are associated with HIV prevention and care outcomes among YMSM populations. Our literature search uncovered 126 peer-reviewed articles, of which 17 were eligible for inclusion based on our review criteria. Nine studies examined geospatial characteristics as predictors of HIV prevention outcomes. Nine of the 17 studies reported HIV care outcomes. From the synthesis regarding the current state of research around geospatial correlates of behavioral and biological HIV risk, we propose strategies to move the field forward in order to inform the design of future multilevel research and intervention studies for this population.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • HIV Infections / epidemiology*
  • HIV Infections / prevention & control*
  • Homosexuality, Male / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Spatial Analysis*
  • United States / epidemiology