Attitudes Toward and Sexual Partnerships With Drug Dealers Among Young Adult African American Females in Socially Disorganized Communities

Abstract

Drug markets in disadvantaged African American neighborhoods have altered social and sexual norms as well as sexual networks, which impact an individual’s risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection. Presently, we describe the prevalence of sexual partnerships with males involved with illegal drugs among a sample of non-drug-dependent females. In 2010, 120 Black females aged 18 to 30 years completed a semistructured HIV-risk interview. Descriptive statistics revealed approximately 80% of females perceived neighborhood drug activity as a major problem, 58% had sex with a male drug dealer, 48% reported sex with a male incarcerated for selling drugs, and 56% believed drug dealers have the most sexual partners. Our results suggest sexual partnerships with males involved in the distribution of drugs are prevalent. These partnerships may play a substantial role in the spread of sexually transmitted infections among low-risk females, as drug dealers likely serve as a bridge between higher HIV-risk drug and prison populations and lower HIV-risk females. However, the significance of partnerships with males involved in drug dealing has received little attention in HIV and drug abuse literature. Presently, there is a need for more research focused on understanding the extent to which the drug epidemic affects the HIV risk of non-drug-dependent Black female residents of neighborhoods inundated with drugs. Special consideration should be given to the role of the neighborhood drug dealer in the spread of sexually transmitted infections.

African American Women and Sexually Transmitted Infections: The Contextual Influence of Unbalanced Sex Ratios and Individual Risk Behaviors

“…Likewise, drug trafficking was listed by the majority of African Americans in this study as a reason for the lack of eligible same-race partners. Other research has demonstrated that drug market activity is rampant in many economically disadvantaged African American communities and related to STI risk (Adimora & Schoenbach, 2005; Floyd & Brown, 2012). Specifically, Floyd & Brown (2012) report that African American women in disadvantaged neighborhoods frequently have relationships with men involved in drug trafficking and who have substantial links to higher-risk drug and prison populations; and, this is a contributing contextual factor to STI transmission.…”

“…Additional longitudinal research is needed to further examine partner characteristics and STI transmission, as well as the role that drug use plays in this relationship. In particular, studies which examine African American women’s social networks over time – including alter characteristics in both their drug and sexual networks – are warranted when examining disease transmission (Floyd & Brown, 2012; Flom et al, 2001). Social network approaches have great utility when examining racial disparities in STIs as African American’s sexual networks are more racially homophilous and have a higher prevalence of concurrent sexual partnerships (Adimora et al, 2002; Adimora & Schoenbach, 2005; Laumann & Youm, 1999).…”

“…Given the preference for African American male partners and the diminishing pool of eligible African American men, African American women may be motivated to consider male partners that are less socially desirable such as older partners and men who have been incarcerated, many of whom have histories of drug use (Floyd & Brown, 2012). These factors also influence the risk of contracting an STI.…”

“…Incarceration history is also associated with having multiple and concurrent partnerships, which increase the probability of STI transmission between partners (Khan et al, 2009). These factors, which stem from the War on Drugs and resulting mass incarceration of African American men, place the African American female partners of formerly incarcerated African American men at an elevated risk for contracting an STI (Floyd & Brown, 2012; Lichtenstein, 2000; Wildeman, Lee, & Comfort, 2013). …”

Changing Places and Partners: Associations of Neighborhood Conditions With Sexual Network Turnover Among African American Adults Relocated From Public Housing

“…30,31 Alcohol outlets and drug markets provide venues where unstable and short-term relationships with risky partners may be formed. 32,33 . Violence and markedly elevated male incarceration rates, which have been associated with alcohol outlet density, drug markets, and low male to female sex ratios among African Americans 34,35 may influence relationship “churning” by determining partner availability and establishing norms around partner selection.…”