Mapping Syndemics in Sexual Networks: Exploring Intimate Partner Violence and Drug Use Among Queer Men

• In Event: 50611 - Drugs, Society, and Health: Sociological Perspectives on Substance Use

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant but underexplored issue among queer men. Research indicates that IPV rates among queer men are comparable to or exceed those of heterosexual women, with IPV-exposed individuals also facing heightened risks for substance use, mental health issues, and sexual risk behaviors. While previous studies have examined IPV through individual-level frameworks, fewer have applied social network analysis (SNA) to explore how IPV and drug use interact within sexual networks. This study bridges syndemic theory, social complexity theory, and SNA to analyze the structural and relational dimensions of IPV among queer men. Using secondary data from the RADAR study (2015-2018)—which includes 922 egos and 2,178 sexual partners—this study employs egocentric Exponential Random Graph Models (ego-ERGMs) to examine network-level predictors of overlapping sex and drug use ties. Findings reveal that IPV-victimized men have smaller, more insular networks yet are more likely to engage in combined sex and drug use partnerships than non-victimized men. Black racial identity, Black-white racial homophily, and anti-LGBT victimization significantly predict these overlapping ties across both IPV and non-IPV groups. However, Latine identity and HIV status homophily uniquely predict these ties in non-IPV networks, while white identity, gay identity, childhood sexual abuse history, and ego-alter age difference are unique predictors in IPV networks. These findings demonstrate how IPV and substance use are embedded within relational and structural contexts, reinforcing the need for network-informed public health interventions. By situating IPV within broader social and structural inequalities, this study advances sociological understandings of syndemics and health disparities in queer men’s networks.

Keywords: Intimate Partner Violence, Social Networks, Drug Use, Syndemic, ego-ERGMs

Author

• Brandon Craig, Northeastern University