245649 Modeling Sex: A Social Network Analysis of Centrality Among Porn Actors in Heterosexual Film 2006-2009

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Candace Sibley, BA, MSPH , Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Garland, TX
Background: Studies on street level prostitution continue to saturate literature on sex work. Grudzen et al. (2009) noted that condoms were only used in 3% of heterosexual adult films (pornography). Prolonged sexual events, risky sexual acts and multiple partners undoubtedly heighten risk HIV/STI risk in this population. The current study is one the few studies to utilize the social network analysis constructs of centrality (eigenvector, degree, betweeness, and harmonic closeness) to examine HIV/STI risk, vulnerability, and power issues in the Adult Film Industry (AFI).

Methods: This project utilized UCINET to develop sociograms of centrality measures in Heterosexual films from 2006-2009 in the Internet Adult Film Database (IAFD).The study included films with the most risky sexual behaviors including double penetration (DP), double pussy penetration (DPP) and double anal penetration (DAP). Sexual events in film were scored from least risk (1) to most risk (5) and assigned to each actor/actress based on event level HIV/STI risk literature.

Results: Social network pictures of the harmonic closeness and degree measures revealed the most vulnerable individuals to a possible HIV/STI outbreak. Depictions of the betweeness and eigenvector measures exposed the most powerful individuals most likely to drive creative synthesis and best diffuse an intervention to change health behavior in the community.

Conclusions: Application of the information provided by the social network pictures may provide the foundation for a Popular Opinion Leader intervention in this understudied population, and provide insight on how the dynamics of social relationships fuel HIV/STI risk in this population.

Learning Areas:
Communication and informatics
Epidemiology
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1.)Identify the culturally relevant HIV risk behaviors for adult film actors 2.)Explain the rationale for the use of social network analysis methods to help create interventions appropriate to the occupational culture of the adult film industry. 3.)Understand the social network concepts of centrality and how they relate to the HIV/STI risk in the adult film industry. 4.)Describe the most risky individuals in the social network for adult film stars. 5.)Understand which individuals who have the most influence and power in the network and are the best to disseminate an intervention.

Keywords: HIV Risk Behavior, Sex Workers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was responsible for data management and data analysis. Moreover, I have done multiple studies on HIV/AIDS with several marginalized groups (African Americans, Gay Men, and Adult film stars). I am trained in both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
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.

See more of: Novel Approaches to HIV/AIDS Research
See more of: HIV/AIDS