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133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
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133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA |
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Alden Klovdahl, PhD1, Michael W. Ross, PhD1, Patrick E. Courtney, MA1, Janel Dennison, MEd1, Mark Williams, PhD2, Jonathan Ellen, MD3, Stuart Berman, MD, MPH4, Janet St. Lawrence, PhD5, and Sevgi Aral, PhD6. (1) WHO Center for Health Promotion Research and Development, The University of Texas - Houston School of Public Health, PO Box 20186, Houston, TX 77225, (713)500-9762, Alden.Klovdahl@anu.edu.au, (2) Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, 7000 Fannin, Suite #2516, Houston, TX 77030, (3) Adolescent Health Research Group, Johns Hopkins University, 2700 Lighthouse Point East, Suite 210, Baltimore, MD 21224, (4) Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Controm and Prevention, 10 Corporate Square, MS E02, Atlanta, GA 30329, (5) Behavioral Interventions Research Branch, Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Mailstop E-44, Atlanta, GA 30333, (6) Centers for Disease Control, Corporate Square Office Park, Building 10, Atlanta, GA 30329
Networks play a critical role in the spread of human pathogens. In consequence, strategies for preventing infectious disease spread need to incorporate information about risk-of-transmission networks to increase likelihood of success whenever possible. In view of the recent explosion of interest in network phenomena across a very broad range of disciplines, network-oriented disease prevention and control is rapidly becoming part of a 'network science' research frontier, to which it can contribute, and from which it can acquire sophisticated new tools for developing more effective prevention/control programs.
The study considered here (part of a larger study) was an exploratory effort to map - with a view to evaluating the usefulness of - the network connections of individuals in two groups: 1, female clinic patients presenting diagnosed with gonorrhea; and, 2, patrons of two public places (bars) identified through extensive field work as high and low risk places for STD risk behaviors. Critically examined are design issues, challenges in developing a single instrument for patients with a diaganosed STD and for study participants (from the two places) who may not previously have had any STD, and recruitment challenges encountered. Results and suggestions for future work are provided.
Learning Objectives:
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.
The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA