Factors Associated with Immunization Opinion Leadership among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Los Angeles, California

Ian W. Holloway, Robert Bednarczyk, Vincent L. Fenimore, Cameron Goldbeck, Elizabeth Wu, Rebecca Himmelstein, Diane Tan, Laura Randall, Chelsea S. Lutz and Paula M. Frew
Additional contact information
Ian W. Holloway: Department of Social Welfare, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3255 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Robert Bednarczyk: Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Vincent L. Fenimore: Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Cameron Goldbeck: Department of Social Welfare, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3255 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Elizabeth Wu: Department of Social Welfare, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3255 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Rebecca Himmelstein: Department of Social Welfare, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3255 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Diane Tan: Department of Social Welfare, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, 3255 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Laura Randall: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 1760 Haygood Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Chelsea S. Lutz: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, 1760 Haygood Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Paula M. Frew: Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-12

Abstract: We sought to identify the characteristics of men who have sex with men (MSM) who are opinion leaders on immunization issues and to identify potential opportunities to leverage their influence for vaccine promotion within MSM communities. Using venue-based sampling, we recruited and enrolled MSM living in Los Angeles ( N = 520) from December 2016 to February 2017 and evaluated characteristic differences in sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, and technology use among those classified as opinion leaders versus those who were not. We also asked respondents about their past receipt of meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y (MenACWY) and meningococcal B (MenB) vaccines, as well as their opinions on the importance of 13 additional vaccines. Multivariable results revealed that non-Hispanic black (aOR = 2.64; 95% CI: 1.17–5.95) and other race/ethnicity (aOR = 2.98; 95% CI: 1.41–6.29) respondents, as well as those with a history of an STI other than HIV (aOR = 1.95; 95% CI: 1.10–3.48), were more likely to be opinion leaders. MenACWY (aOR = 1.92; 95% CI: 1.13–3.25) and MenB (aOR = 3.09; 95% CI: 1.77–5.41) vaccine uptake, and perceived importance for these and seven additional vaccines, were also associated with being an opinion leader. The results suggest that the co-promotion of vaccination and other health promotion initiatives via opinion leaders could be a useful strategy for increasing vaccination among MSM.

Keywords: opinion leadership; MSM; peer health navigation; vaccine measurement; immunization acceptance; immunization assessment; vaccine promotion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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