2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

326298
Conflicting social relationships and supportive social ties: A mechanism for HIV prevention for homeless persons entering Permanent Supportive Housing


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Eric Rice, PhD, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Hailey Winetrobe, MPH, CHES, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Taylor Harris, MA, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Benjamin Henwood, PhD, LCSW, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Harmony Rhoades, PhD, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Suzanne Wenzel, PhD, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Background: Homeless persons in the United States face a number of pressing health challenges including heightened risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS.  Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) has been widely implemented, yet little is known about the impact of PSH on HIV risk-taking behaviors. A shift in social network contexts away from conflict-ridden relationships may be a point of intervention. 

Method:  As part of a longitudinal study on the impact of exiting street life and transitioning to PSH, an initial sample of 130 homeless persons who were about to enter PSH was recruited through participating housing agencies in Los Angeles.  Condomless sex was coded based on any report of failure to use a condom during a sex act in the prior 90 days.  Personal network interviews were conducted and network ties were assessed for conflict and social support. Logistic regressions were used.

Results: Mean network size was 9.3 members, 56% of persons reported at least one conflict-ridden relationship and 83% reported at least one source of instrumental support. Controlling for gender, presence of conflict-ridden relationships was associated with reports of condomless sex in the prior 90 days (OR=2.47, p<.05) and presence of supportive relationships was associated with reduced reports of condomless sex (OR=0.33, p<.05)

Conclusions: PSH is designed to provide residential stability, but it may also provide opportunities for social stability as well. To the extent that PSH enables persons to shift toward more supportive social relationships and away from conflict-ridden social relationships, HIV prevention may be aided by transitions to PSH.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Epidemiology
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Compare the impact of conflicting social relationships and social support on the condom using behaviors of persons entering permanent supportive housing.

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, Homelessness

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a professor in a school of social work and having been working on issues of HIV prevention with homeless persons since 2002
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4274.0: HIV: Incarcerated, Transitioning, and Homeless Populations